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LIBRARY OF^NGRESS. 



UNITED STATES OF AMEEIOA. 



A HISTORICAL SKETCH 



or Tin; 



Town OF CAPE VIlTCEirT. 



Read at tke Centennial CelebraMoiv of the Town^ 
ship, Jalij ^ 1876, 



BY 



y 



ELIZUR H. PRATT, A. M. 



To Which Is APi^iONDEO a Brief Account of the Genekal Pkocee»- 
INGS of the Day. 




CAPE VINCENT, N. Y. 

Warren W. Ames, Printer, 

187'e. 



^, 



■^> 






CORIIESFONDENCE. 



To Rev. E. H. Pratt :— 

Bear Sir: — Having been highly entertained and profitably initructed, up- 
on the occasion of the last celebration of our National Independence, by 
that portion of the Centennial History of this town delivered by yourself, as 
historian selected for the occasion ; and understanding that there is much 
more which was undelivered, by reason of shortness of time and length of 
other exercises, that is alike rich in incident and valuable as history; and 
knowing that many, beside ourselves and those who listened on that occa- 
sion, would like copies of the whole in some form for penisal and distribu- 
tion, we earnestly urge upon you the publication of the Centennial History 
of the Town, at your earliest convenience. 

Yours Respectfully, 

D. B. Sacket, F. a. Cross, 
Jacob Beringer, L. O. Woodruff, 
A. D. Shaw, J. B. Grapotte, 
Sidney Cooper, M. E. Lee, 

E. K. BuRNHAM, Levi Anthony, 
Jno. Kinghorn, W. M. Johnson. 



To Major-General Sacket, Jacob Beringeb, Esq*, Hon. A. D. Shaw, and oth- 
erg, — 

Dear Sirs: — I wish the Historical Sketch Avhich you solicit for publica- 
tion was as satisfactory to me as my appreciation of your interest in it — a 
paper prepared on short notice and under hurrying circumstances. The 
work ought to have been done in a better manner. My first thought was 
to re-write the entire narrative, but the necessary time can hardly be taken 
from the daily duties of the ministry. It might be no b'etter, if written s 
second time, although some facts worthy of special mention have doubtless 
been omitted. Hoping the reader will pardon whatever mistakes may be 
discovered, and that as much pleasure will be found in its perusal as was 
enjoyed by the author in collecting the material, your request is complied 
with and the sketch given to the public. And may I suggest that a brief 
account of the Centennial exercises of the town be added to the history? 

Very Sincerely Yours, 

E. H. Pratt. 
July 18, 1876. 



THE HISTORY. 



This comity was organized in 1805, when Thomas Jefferson 
was President, and very appropriately named after him. The 
population of the entire nation did not then very greatly exceed 
the present immber of inhabitants in the single state of New 
York. On the 2 day of April, 1813, the existing boundaries of 
Jefferson County were established, and two years later the ad- 
joining islands were added. This whole region, of woods and 
wolves, was the grand hunting ground of the Oneida Indians,and 
ceded by them to the state only nine years before the first settler 
came upon the soil. The treaty was made in Fort Schuyler at 
Rome, formerly Fort Stanwix, and the names of four squaws 
appear on the parchment which transferred the property. This 
old document may still be seen at Albany, which, by the same 
act, conveyed the greater portion of all their lands in the state to 
the state government. The United States subsequently ratified 
the proceedings.- The parchment is about two feet s(|uare, with 
fi string of wampum attached, that was " made of six rows of cyU 
indrical white and blue beads, strung upon deer skin cords." In 
1800 there was not a bridge or a road north of Lowville. The 
route between Lowville and Watertown was indicated by marked 
trees. There may have been ffve log huts between the two set- 
tlements. Cape Vincent was unknown ; and we are told 
that when Moses Bacon settled in this northern wilderness, he 
brought his first seed potatoes of a hundred pounds weight, on 
liis back, a distance of not less than thirty miles. The next year, 
1801, it took all the able-bodied men in Watertown, Ilounstield, 
and Brown ville which extended to the St. Lawrence river at that 
time, to raise the first frame barn. It is not difficult to imagine 
the situation ! No road, no bridges, no satins or broadcloth, no 
plum puddings or gout, but one vast primeval forest with he^*^ 



and tliere a little clerti'ing thickly grim with smoking stuinpa, 
cowardly wolves that made havoc in the sheep and pig enclos- 
ures, all the fever and ague that could be managed, and always 
as mnch oddity of life as the strange combination of words here 
used to describe it — this made tl)e new-comers very sick at heart 
for the first few days. It is no wonder that the young wife of 
Jacob Brown, afterwards the distinguished general, said to her 
husband with genuine Quaker feeling the next morning after 
their arrival (17t)9) at Brownville : " Well Jacob, thee has got us 
all here but thee has not a board to make us a coffin nor a spade 
to dig us a grave." Self-detiial at the first and then much com- 
fort ! 

The town of Cape Vincent was originally a part of the great 
Macomb Purchase. Then it fell into the hands of Mr. Le Ray 
De Chaumont, an educated French gentleman. When Mr. Le 
Ray became bankrupt — and this was the experience of Alexander 
Macomb before him — all the land of this town and Jefferson coun- 
ty fell into the hands of his son Vincent, after whom the town 
and village were named. The old land ofiice of Mr. Le Ray is 
still standing on Broadway nearly opposite the residence of Mrs. 
Peugnet. The territory of Brownville then extended from the 
Black River to the St. Lawrence and the Lake. Lyme, including 
Cape Vincent, was cut off from Brov/nville in 1818 ; and the 
Cape Vincent township was created from Lyme in 1849. Carl- 
ton, (-rrenadier and Fox islands also come within its limits. 



THK OLD FORTIFICATION. 



The ruins of Fort Carlton, now conspicuous on the head of the 
island, still continue to awaken in the minds of every visitor, 
the question of their origin and importance. The indications are, 
that the fort was commenced by the French about 1760 ai»d sub- 
sequently finished and enhirgiid by the Englisli during the period 
of the revolutionary war. Carlton island may Jiave been a fre- 
quent stopping place mucii earlier than the date just given; but 
it could hardly have been a point of any military importance pre- 
vious to 1756 since an officer, (Fouciiotj who took part in the 
French and Lidian war of 1756-1760, and who kept a diary of 
^11 he saw and did along the shores of Lake Ontario and the >?t., 



Lawrence, does not mention any military defenses on the site of 
the old ruins which now attract so much attention If a fort was 
commenced by the French it was commenced very soon after tlie 
visits of this military officer. It appears from sotne old Paris 
papers, still preserved in the documentary history of Xew York, 
that'the governor of Canada, in 1758, had a plan in mind to 
huild a fort at the head of this river which had been left unpro- 
tected by the destruction of Fort Frontenac. Fort Frontenac 
was destroyed by Col. Bradstreet in August of 1758, and in No- 
vember of the same year the governor had this plan of a new bar- 
ricade, on paper. The fort was to have magazines and I)arracks ; 
certain shipwrights, whose names were given, were to be sent up 
the river from Quebec; supplies for those engaged in the work 
were to be obtained at Ogdensburg, and the necessity for some 
fortification at the outlet of Lake Ontario was so urgently pressed, 
that there is good reason to believe the lirst fort was commenc- 
ed not far from 1759 or 1760. This is a fair deduction unless 
Frontenac stood on Carlton island, which is scarcely probable. If 
commenced by the French it was not later than 1763 because the 
Dominion of Canada passed over to Great Britain on the 10 
of May 1763, l)y the treaty of Paris. Fort Carlton was certairdy 
occupied a hundred years ago. A Canadian author makes this 
statement : " It (Carlton Island) was a military and naval station 
during; the American rebellion at which o;overnment vessels were 
built for navigating the lake, and possessed fortifications. Its 
name is derived from Guy Carlton, Esq.," who subsequently be- 
came Lord Dorchester. The building of ships indicates a post of 
much importance; and the origin of the old chimneys, the deep 
moat cut through the solid rock on the land side, the huge well 
and other elaborate ruins now visible, will very likely be traced 
to the military records of the English, as indicated by the forego- 
ing facts. In 1796 Fort Carlton was defended by a small British 
guard and six pieces of cannon. In 1812, as soon as the news 
reached Cape Vincent that a second war had been declared against 
Great Britain by tlie American Congress, Abner Hubbard, an old 
revolutionary soldier living at Milieu's Bay.authorized himself and 
several of his neighbors to capture the post. They crossed over the 
river in the nio;ht and dcjnanded its surrender. Two women and 



tliree invalid men surrendered. The followiiijj; day the i'uit wai 
<lestrojed and the prisoners taken to Sacketts Ilarboi'. 

In a letter received fi-oni Francis Parknian, the histoi'iaii, re- 
garJinji: the question whether Fort Frontenac was or was not sit- 
uated on the Carlton island proniontoi"}', he says: "There are 
several French maps, both manuscript and printed, in which T'ort 
Frontenac is laid down and sevei'al plans of it at different periods, 
from ihat of De Nonville in 16S5 to tliat made durin<^ the war 
<jf 1755. Many of these maps are in my possession. I have also 
the title deeds of neighboring- lands, and of the place itself, in 
I>a Salle's time." [Fort Frontenac was built in IGTo. Kol long 
after it was given to La Salle by the King of France as a reward 
for his explorations and valor, together with a specified amount 
of land — about twelve miles long on the shore and one and half 
miles deep — besides the adjacent islands.] " The impression," 
continues Mr. Parkman,"that the fort on Carlton island dates back 
150 years, i>5 ceitainly erroneous. Thei'e could not have been a 
fortilication hereof any consequence before the old French war. 
Even then I know of no iueution of this or ueighboring islands as 
occupied for military purposes, except in one instance,when a guard 
of twelve men is reported to have been stationed here. They 
were sent from Fort Frontenac. The remarkable works of which 
the remains are now so conspicuous must have been of a later 
date and of British origin, probably early in the revolutionary 
war." 

THE CARLTOX ISLAND SETTLERS. 

"When Carlton island was discovered by surveyors of this re- 
gion, the upper portion of the island was cleared land. When 
Mr. F. R. Hassler surveyed it in 1S23, he found about thirty acres 
of old and highly improved soil on the south shore called the King's 
Garden. At this time. Feather Bed shoals, which are now entire- 
ly under water, were a strip of land on which boys used to play 
ball and hunt gull's eggs. The original settlers were squatters. 
Then a large portion of the territory came into the possession of 
Charles Smyth. But at the time of Mr. Hassler's survey many 
persons had become residents and a large amount of busi- 



nets was aotie. There was a post-office and a school ; James 
Estes had a tavern ; fonr dwelling houses were standing around 
tlje old chimneys ; Prof. Shiimway was teacher and justice of the 
peace ; David Briggs had a sho.3 shop ; Abijah Lewis, James Wood 
and Mr. Shaw kept stores; and sometimes ten ortifteen lumber 
vessels would be anchored in the bays. When Abijah Lewis and 
Avery Smitli were engaged in lumbering the population number- 
ed one hundred and lifty or two hundred persons. 

OKENADIER ISLAND. 

This body of land is about the size of Carlton island and has a 
most excellent harbor. John llitchel was probably the first set- 
tler. There is reason to suppose that Bason harbor was frequent- 
]}' visited by French explorers, more than a hundred years before 
tlie settlement of the main land, in their journeys westward. 
During the excitements of the war of 1S12, Richard M. Esselstyii 
Bent his family around to Sacketts Harbor, and on the way the 
party stopped over night at Grenadier island. This water route 
was a common one from Cape Vincent to the Harbor and Water- 
town,in those early days. But the most noticeable event connect- 
ed with Grenadier island was the disasterous expedition of Gen 
eral Wilkinson, M-ho went out from Sacketts Harbor with several 
thousand men, late in the fall of 1813, for the ultimate purpose of 
capturing Montreal. It was too late in the season for an under- 
taking of that character. It was nearly dark on the 26 of Octo- 
ber when the ariny pushed out upon the lake, in scores upon scores 
of open boats, — scows, bateaux, sail boats and Durham boats — • 
with their flags flying in the breeze and their military bands 
thrilling the air with music and enthusiasm. The surface of the 
water before the fleet, was like a mirror, and all along the western 
horizon were still seen the beautiful colors of the setting sun. 
Both tlie heavy and light artillery were afloat, and all had orders 
to rendezvous at Grenadier island. All went prosperously until 
a little after midnight when a stiff breeze arose, which increased 
in two hours more, to a gale. The October weather was true to 
itself ; and the result was the complete wreck of the fleet and an 
immense loss of ammunition and supplies. It was four days be- 
fore all the armv that survived reached Bason Harbor. Some of 



s 

tlio l)(>atsli:ul been driven to Woli'e island, some to Cliuaiuoiit Riiv, 
others stood oii' for Kingston after working- out into the hike, and 
tiie nioi-ning of the 27 i-evealed the shores of tlie islands and 
the inaiidand "strown with broken and sunken boats." (3u the 
way to Ca{)e Vincent Ironi Grenadiei-, General Wilkinson en- 
eountered similar ditiiculties. lie had a small light with the 
British near Clayton. Below Ogdensburg there was another 
valueless battle. And then, what was left of the flotilla, went 
into winter ([uartei's on the banks of Salmon river. This was 
ai)out the middle of November and Montreal was not frightened. 
The blundei's were partially due to the weather, partially to mili- 
tary generals, and much more to whisky. Whisky is a profound 
blessing ! General Wilkinson was court maitialed and removed 
from command. 

TIBBITTS VOI-NT. 

Tibbitts Point, at the head of the St. Lawrence, took its name 
from Capt. John Tibbitt of Troy, who received a patent for six 
liundred acres of land and which was surveyed in 1799. The 
lirst light house and dwelling were built in 1S27. The second 
tower, which is now standing, wao erected in 1851 and stuccoed 
on the outside in 1870. Supplies are furnished annually. The 
visibility of the light by means of the Fresnell lens is fifteen nau- 
tical miles, although the flame, in very clear weather, may be 
seen full thirty miles. The lamp burns about nine months in the 
year ; and the number of vessels that have passed that point dur- 
ing the past five years lias averaged a little less than thirteen 
hundred for each season of navigation. It may be said, also, 
that the three acres of land attaclied to the house and tower, be- 
long to the United States as well as the light house, although the 
state of New York has reserved the rights of criminal and civil 
jurisdiction therein. A. J. Cratsenberg is the present keeper. 

THE SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN I'KOPEK. 

The man who built the lirst log house in Cape Vincent on the 
main land was Abijah Putnam ; and it stood about two miles be- 
low the railroad depot. This was in 1801. Some traces of the 
old site of the vjlla<re which he founded and named Port Put' 



9 

nnm, are still visable. In 1804 Mr. Putiiain sold liis property to 
John Macombs and Peter Sternberg, from central New York, who 
made improvements immediately and drew the plan of a prosper- 
ous town. One of the original maps of Port Putnam, now in the 
possession of Mr. William Esselstyn (who is the oldest man 
in the town born on the soil ) indicates that it was to be in the 
form of a parallelogram with a public square of five or six acres 
and public buildings standing on the upper side of it facing the 
water. As a matter of curiosity the names of the streets may be 
given. Parallel with the river were Water street, First, Second, 
Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh streets. Pleasant street 
was also laid down on two sides of the square. Intersecting these 
at right angles were Green, Montgomer}', Herkitner, Washington^ 
Jefferson, Clinton and Hancock. 

The chief business of that day is made known by what Messrs. 
Macomb and Sternberg said of the advantages of Port Putnam over 
other towns in this new region. To vary the language of the 
map a little, they stated : That since it is the outlet of Lake On- 
tario it forms a natural place of deposit for the lake trade. Lum- 
bel" of all kinds is rafted from this village on a large scale to Mont- 
real and Quebec, and it takes only from nine to thirteen days to 
make a trip. Besides, the Great Black River State road from 
Johnstown, Montgomery county, receiving in its course the roads 
frcm Little Falls, Herkimer, Utica and Rome, runs through the 
middle Df this village and connects with Kingstown and Uppei' 
Canada by ferry. 

This site was subsequently abandoned through the influence of 
Mr. Le Ray, who caused a piece of ground to be surveyed, in 
1811, on Gravelly Point, where stood Ave or six houses, and 
■named it Cape Vincent, after one of his sons. Milieu's Bay was 
then known as Hubbard's Bay ; Clayton was called French Creek ; 
Bepauville, Cat Fish Falls ; Dexter, Fish Island, and Carthage, 
Long Falls. The original survey of Cape Yincent, however, was 
not followed when it was incorporated, April the 14, 1853. 

THE ORIGINAL SETTLERS. 

The settlers at Port Putnam and down the river from that 
|wint, pivvious to the M'ar of 1818, are believed to have been th^ 



10 

persons already named — Putnam, Macombs and Sternberg — Jon- 
athan Cnmmings, Daniel Spinning, Elnatlian Judd, Norman 
Wadwortli, John B. Esselstvn, who came in 1803 and was prom- 
inent in the town for many years, Eddy Cole, Caleb Lobdell,' 
Avery Smith and another family of the same name, Mr. Phelps, 
William Hollenbeck, Charles Gillett, Oiison and Zimri Butter- 
field, Daniel Nicol, Abncr Hubbard, — who never tried to tell as 
good astorj' as Barret Hubbard — Samuel Brittain and aMr.Dodd. 
As late as 1815 only seven liouses could be found on the site of 
Cape Vincent village, and for many yeais the forest was left un- 
broken from a point just below the corner of William street to 
Port Putnam. The settlers generally came in by the state road 
and only a single cabin was built on the I'onte between Cbau- 
mont and the St. Lawrence river for at least fifteen years. Some- 
times, when the road was bad, it would take thirteen or fourteen 
hours to make the journey. Often it was impassable. This log 
cabin was occupied by Mr. Sopcr and his family, and was a very 
Interpreter's house to the ])ilgrims coming into the new conntr}'. 
In 1815 a most beautiful grove of eighteen or twenty elm trees 
Avas growing on the beach at the foot ot Point street, just be- 
yond the euphonious "Toad Hole." All that beach has since 
been washed away. On the lot now^ owned by Mr. John Grap' 
otte, and also on the lot of Mrs. Pool, were two famous deer licks. 
The crack of many a hunters rifle was heard in the vicinity of 
these licks sixty-five years ago. In connection with the nnmes 
of the first settlers, the names ot tiiosc on the site ot Cape Vin- 
cent village should be given. They were : ITolieb Phelps, Rich- 
ard M. Esselstyn, John Mathews, Uncle Nash, Eber Kelsey, 
Dr. Ainsworth of Veiunont, Nathan Lake and one Proven whose 
other name cannot be recalled. These were here in 1812. 

TUE FIRST GRIST MILL. 

A flour and grain mill was of prime consequence to the settlers 
and ©ne of the first things looked after. .John B. Esselstyn 
once carried a bushel of corn on his back to Chauinont, had it 
ground, and brought the meal home in tlie same manner. This 
was not an uncommon feat when the road would not permit a 
t.rip with a horse. The first mill in Cape Vincent was ljuiltoi| 



11 

Kent's Creek. Negoti;itions were l)egiin for a site as early as 
1803 by R. M. Esselstyii, wlio came as far as Chaumont river 
in 1801. In a letter written to Mr. Esselstyn by Mr. Le 
Kay, he was offered a "mill scat and twenty-five acres" of 
land at $4.00 per acre, unless during the year of erecting the 
mill, a town should spring up around it, when, added Le Ray, 
I should feel " at liberty to break the present bargain." A 
mill was not built so early as this year or the next. The Es- 
selstyn brothers and Henry Ainsworth were the only mer- 
chants here for many of the lirst years. Goods brouglit from 
New York in a month, so late as 1820, made a quick pas- 
sage. Sometimes Mr. Esselstyn would go in a lumber wagon 
to Hudson, his wife accompanying him, and bring home 
such merchandise as had been transported for him to that 
point on a sloop, from the metropolis. During one of these 
overland trips he carried a heavy bag of specie under some 
straw on the bottom of his wagon. Whenever he stopped for 
the night he would carelessly throw his harness over the straw 
and bag — either to disarm suspicion or else to teach our gen- 
eration that the former times were better than these. On 
another occasion he wrote home of his splendid ride on the 
Clermont of Robert Fulton, (140 feet keel and IQ^ feet beam) 
the first steam packet that ever made a successful trip, in the 
universe. This boat, wrote Mr. Esselstyn with enthusiasm, 
ran at the marvellous speed of four miles an hour directly 
against the wind. And it loas marvellous, in contrast with 
those trips by the Hudson river sloops when passengers would 
spend a whole day, walking along the shore and picking ber- 
ries to while away the time till the wind was favorable. 

DISTINGUISHED FRENCH FAMILIES. 

About 1818 a number of educated French families who were 
obliged to leave their native land, having become involved in 
the reverses of Kapoleon the First, made Cape Vincent their 
place of residence. Among those whose names are now remem- 
bered by the old inhabitants were Peter Francis Real and his 
son-in-law General Rolland, Camille Arnaund, Jermaux and 
Pigeon. Peter Real was a count and the chief of police under 



12 

Napoleon, Pigeon was a secretary of Count Real while I-eie 
Hiid an enthusiastic student in astronomy. Some of the iinest 
instruments of that age of science were brouglit to Cajie Vin 
cent frotM France, and the boy who was privileged to visit the 
upper room in Count Heal's house where these instruments, as 
well as others, were kept, gazed in perfect wonder at tiie display. 
The count lived about two years m a hired house and tlien built 
at the head i)f Gouvello street what was currently KLOwn as the 
" cup and saucer" dwelling, because it i-esembled those two arti- 
cles of sewing society comfort. It should not be inferred, how- 
ever, that it was made for sewing society purposes. On the 
other hand, there is every reason to believe that a plan was 
laid by these French residents to spirit Nap(>leon away from St. 
Helena and bring him to Cape Vincent, with the cup and saucer 
house for a home, But Napoleon died in 1821, and for this 
reason, or some other good one, our town just escaped a world 
wide notoriety. Tlie astronomical instruments were taken back 
to France when these exiles returned after the death of the great 
chief. Mr. Louis Peugnet M-as also an otheer in ISTapoleon's 
army. Pigeon never wore anytliing on his head while in Cape 
Vincent, snuimer or winter, because he had made a vow to that 
effect to last so long as Napoleon was held a prisoner on liis^ 
lonely island. And yet a stoi-y is told of him, tliat whil.3 once 
Avatching the boys as they were merrily skating on the river, he 
became very desirous of learning the art. But the falls and the 
bumps! To avoid any unnecessary collision, after the ekares 
were strapped on he tied a cushion over his head and a pillow 
just below tiie middle of his body behind, and went out among 
the boys for his first skating. How ho succeeded tradition does 
not inform us. 

TUE t/IHER SETTLEMENTS. 

The most of the original settlers left the town during the war 
of 1812-15. Not half of them returned. "Warren Settlement 
was a wilderness till 1825 when Shepherd \Varren and his broth- 
ers, James and Asa,began a clearing. Edwin Tuttle, Joel Torrey 
and John Howard came soon after. The St. Lawrence region 
iiYas occupied still later tlian 1825. when Stephen Johnson, cauic; 



from Depanville and opened tlie first stare. Forty-five years 
ago there were not half a dozen cabins wliere the village of St. 
Lawrence now stands. A Miss Lawrence of New York owned 
a lar^e tract of territory in thi.s neighborhood, and when the 
post ofiice was established in 18-iS, Lawrenceville was sent on to 
Washington as an appropriate name. It was given in remeni- 
l)rance of this lady. But it was found that another oiSce in the 
state l)ore the same title and the Post Office Department there- 
fore changed Lawrenceville to St. Lawrence, which the inhabit- 
ants allowed to remain. The village was called St. Oars Cor- 
ners at first, then Rogers Corners because James Rogers built the 
first tavern, afterwards Gotham Corners, and finally Crane's 
Corners till the establishment of the mail route. The following 
persons were among the early settlers : Jacob St. Oars, Silas 
Mosier, Eli Wethey, Horntio Humphrey, Hamilton C. Wallace, 
Samuel Dillen, Jerome Wethey, Daniel Corse, Charles Cummins, 
Dyer Pierce, Curtis, Wheeler, Campbell and Carpenter. 

There is no available data for saying anything ]>ositively in 
regard to the French Settlement, except that the original occu- 
pants Avere Americans of whom the names of Jacob Van Nos- 
trand, x\aron Whitcotnb, Samuel F. Mills, Phineas and Asahel 
Powers and Tliomas Shaw are mentioned. Thomas Shaw came 
from New Jersey and on liis way was offered a plot of ground 
within the present upper limits of New- York city for $100 per 
acre. He thought he could do better in Jefferson county and 
did not purchase. Pie always kept his stock till it died, never 
selling or killing an animal for forty years. In other parts of 
the town, about 1820 and before, might have been found Mich- 
ael Yan Schaick, John Vincent, Williard Ainsworth, Joseph 
Cross, Dr. Sacket, Dr. Brewster, Benjamin Estes, Captain Caton, 
and Captain Merritt. Captain Merritt sailed the schooner Ap- 
pollonia from this port and on her last voyage she was struck 
b}' lightning about thirty miles off Aiexico Bay. She sunk so 
quickly that the crew^ had barely time to get out the small boat 
and escape. The first large schooner built at Cape Vincent w^as 
the Merchant, the iron work being done by Samuel and John 
Forsyth. This schooner made a trip to the head of Lalvo On- 
tario and back in three days, with a cargo. Besides the nantie^ 



14 

already given were Ira lladley, James Borland, Abner Rogers, 
James Bnckley, Oliver Pool, Jaeob Bedford, Philip and Abner 
Gage, Fuller, Green, Hassler, Converse, Pigsley, liolman. Mar 
shall. Van Ilusen, Iloff — but time would fail in an attempt to 
mention the host of enterprising men who made Cape Vincent 
the field of their achievements. Many of these persons mention 
ed were farmers ; and it is the farming class of the community 
M-hose names are seldom seen or heard, from which the woi'ld gets 
its living. Stop raising wheat and making butter and what 
would become of the profei-sions ? 

THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND. 

War was declared on the IS of June 1812. On the 20 of the 
same month Gen. Jacob Brown wrote to Gov. Tompkins that, in 
his opinion a "strong detachment should at once b3 marched on 
to Cape Vincent" su as to kee]) Kingston, which was well torti- 
iied and a point from which military expeditions would be sent 
out by the British " in as much alarm as possible," In less than 
three weeks after the declaration of the war, a det.ichment of 
troop from this counfy and a considerable force under Col. Belling- 
er were on the ground. John B.Esselstyn,who afterwards became 
Colonel, was in command of the militia. A slight digression 
may be allowed hero to give a quotation from a letter written by 
Moss Kent, who represented this district in Congress during 
those days of conflict. Under date of September 22, 1814, he 
wrote from Washington to R. M. Esselstyn : "Another resolu- 
tion has this day been introduced offering the thanks ot Congress 
to Generals Brown, Scott and Gains for tlieir brilliant victories 
on the Niagara frontier over a superior British force. The res- 
olution is postponed for a few days. General Brown is here, 
the subject of the most extravagant praise and 1 believe that if 
Congress was to authorize the appointment of a Lieut, General 
he would be the man." 

Drafted militia, some from the Mohawk valley, were stationed 
at Cape Vincent ; and also a body of riflemen belonging 
to the company of Captain Benj. Forsyth. Besides these, it will 
be seen from a statement made on another page, that a detach- 



15 

ment ot'lio;]it artillery and clr{i2:ot)US wore among the defenders of 
this frontier. Durinir the winter of 1812-1813 a line of senti- 
nels was established alon<>: this shore and on the ice, fourteen miles 
in leni^th. At this time one Corporal Dean, went over to Wolfe 
island, fell in love with a younii; lady by the name o': Button, 
and like a brave soldier laid siege to her heart and eaptured it. 
Button bay vva? called after her i'ather. On a still night not 
long after the surrender of the fair prisoner, a soldier of this line 
of sentinels called out in loud tones: " Button, button, who has 
got the button V His comrade next beyond evidently knew, for 
he replied in the same loud voice: ''Corporal J_)ean." And then 
for the whole sentry stretch of fourteen miles, four above Cape 
Vincent and six below, the words were caught up by the soldiers 
till the air fairly rang with reverberations of buttcuis, Deans, 
and corporals. 

The soldiers' barracks stood, one building on the corner of 
James street and Broadway (Mrs. Hassler's lot) and the other 
at the foot of James street, (in the garden of Williard A ins- 
worth.) A building, now used for a school-house on Murray 
street, was occupied as a hospital. The barracks, a store belong 
ing to Henr} Ainsworth, another store of J. B. and R. M. Essel- 
styn, two or three small vessels that had been built here, the 
house of Major Esselstyn wliich stood below Port Putnam, 
several barns and considerable hunber were burned by the enemy 
at different times during the war. The house and barns of Dr, 
A very Ainsworth in Pleasant Valle}^ were also fired and des- 
troyed by the Indians. Gen. Wilkinson's army, as well as the troops 
encamped here, burned a large (piantity of staves belonging to 
the Esselstyns, to cook their messes and keep themselves warm. 
For this loss of property Congress seems to have granted only 
partial remuneration In a letter dated January 21, 1821, Mr, 
K. M. Esselstyn complained to the Hon. W. D. Ford in Con- 
gress, that the losses should be met inasmuch as the}'' could not 
liave been averted by him at (he time. He added : " I think I 
have proved to a demonstration (and if I have not I can) in the 
case of John B. and R. M. Esselstyn for losses sustained in the 
burning of our warehou.-,e and the property we had in it," that 
the destruction was caused Ity the enemy while the place was 



IS 

''in the inilitan' occupancy of the i:;(>vcriiment." The tmsottlcd 
cLiiin aniounted to 1030.25. , 

Other persons also ni.ide application of a siniihar character. 
Durini^ tlie summer of 1813 Mr. Eher KeUey went to Alhany 
to look after payment fur "services done and supplies furnished " 
our soldiers. Governor Tompkins Nvas not at the capital when 
this visit was made, and Mr. Kelsey lelt a paper for him settir.g 
forth his claims. Among the items specified is one " for the use 
of the scliooner Neptune thirty-one days" in the transportation 
of troops and munitions of war. lie stated in this paper that 
General Brown allowed him only two dollars per day for the 
service* of the schooner and he thought it ought to be increased 
to three dollars. In closing he reminded the governor that the 
schooner w;;s the one in which " your Excellenc}'' sailed from 
Sackefts Harbor to Oswego bist fall "—the fall of 1812. There 
is another item for " furnishing hay and other necessaries to a 
detachment of light artillery," as appeai-ed troni a certificate of 
Captain Siger and Lieut. Johnson, and ordered paid by Col. 
Macomb. According to Captain Mead's certificate there is also 
a claim "for damage done by a detachment of light dragoons," 
to the amount of "$71.00, as apprised by John B. Esselstyn 
Esq. Elnathan Judd Esq. and Mr. John Xash." 

The plundering and burning of the warehouses referred to wus 
done on the sly by British gun boats ; and these war boats were 
frequently seen passing up and down the river in front of the 
village. Marauding parties, however, sometimes came lo grief, 
as the following incident illustrates : Just at daylight one morn 
ing a gun boat came up the river and stopped at the foot of 
James street, (a little east of Mr. Buckley's planing and shingle 
naill) when the crew and soldiers leaped ashore and hurried into 
the nearest garden, where they began to plunder the small fruit 
and vegetables. But the boat had been seen through the grey 
light of the coming day by a body of Forsyth's riflemen, as it 
passed Port Putnam. Suspecting that the British might land, 
the sharp shooters followed along the shore, through the woods, 
and reached the garden but a few moments later. They imme- 
diately attack them and a skirmish ensued with the capture of 
all the party except three or four. Several were wounded and 



17 

tliree were killed, as tlio matter is now rcincinbered by one who 
was living here at that time. The prisoners were sent to Green- 
bnsh on the Hudson river and the dead buried at the corner of 
Broadway and Murray street. (The lot of Mr. G. A. Ainsv/ortli.) 
It may be remarked that only two American soldiers were killed 
at Cape Vincent, or near it,durinn; the progress of this war of 1812. 
One was a man by the name of Draper who went over to Wolf 
island with a number of volunteers i'rom among the soldiers, to 
rout a party of I'.dians who were there watching for opportuni- 
ties of theft and scalping. The raid was poorly managed and 
Draper was left on the field, having been shot by the enemy 
when carelessly exposing hi'Tiself Some of the volunteers re- 
ceived trifling wounds. The other soldier was accidentally shot 
by a comrade who pointed and snapped a gun at him, suppos- 
ing it to be unloaded. The dead man was buried some distance 
back in the forest, and until a recent period theie words might 
have been seen cut in the bark of a beech tree, to designate the 
spot near which he lay : " A.Cutler shot by J. Weaver." These 
burial grounds of the woods, where all the American soldiers 
who died of disease were likewise buried, was in the rear of the 
M. E. church, and perhaps halfway to William street. 

The lioyal George, a British war ship of 24 guns and three 
masts, once stopped at Cape Vincent but withdrew without 
making any demonstration. On the 23 of August 1813, Major 
Esselstyn was taken prisoner on the state road near Chaumont 
while escorting several relatives and friends to a place of safety. 
He was removed to Canada, held about two weeks and then ex- 
changed for a British officer of equal rank. The British fleet 
which attack Sacketts Harbor on the 29 of May 1813 was fitted 
out at Kingston and on its way to the Harbor captured a boat 
loaded with flour, from Cape Vincent. It will thus be seen that 
this town was a point of much interest during the period which 
we are considering, although no battles or other great events oc- 
curred, to draw the attention of the country at large, to it. 

This portion of the history should not be concluded without 
recording a most thrilling tragedy which happened in a private 
dwelling that stood near the corner of Broadway and Esselstyn 
streets. (On the spot where Dr. Webb's house is now standing.) 



IS 

It appears that a British soldier liad left his Majesty's service and 
taken his sword in behalf of the United States. Ilis name was 
-Moore. Sometime during the month of May 1813, a troop of 
British soldiers, having learned that Moore was at Cape Vincent 
in command of a small body of American soldiers, surrounded 
the house where he was stopping and dein;»!jded tb.-it he should 
go back to Canada with them. They waited a little time on the 
outside and ordered him out of the house. He refused to come. 
Then several British soldiers went into the room where he had 
placed himself, but Moore drew his sword and would not be tak- 
en. Stepping into a corner he asked for only a fair light — his 
sword blade against tlieir bayoiiets. His comrades had fled up 
stairs ; and single handed he actually kept every one of them at 
bay, till the order was given to shoot him down. It was a cow- 
ardly act and he lived Jong enough to call those up stairs, as well 
as his assailants, cowards. The bullet, which passed throi>gh his 
body and bedded itself in the ceiling, was found a few years ago 
when the house was taken down. 

THE PATKIOT EXCITEMENT. 

Kespecting the excitement of the patriot movement in 1838 in 
this township and county, but little need here be written. There 
is no occasion fyr discussing the merits of the case. Some say the 
whole action was a crime, others a delusion, and none at the pres- 
ent hour, assume or attempt any justitication for it. One thing 
is certain. After the United States, as well as the State authori- 
ties, had pronounced strongly against any action on American 
soil in aid of the Canadians, whoever sympathized with the cause 
ought not to have used the protection of the stars and stripes to 
secretly assist it. The sympathizers should have gone into the 
Dominion and not have stolen arms and held secret meetings here. 
Many who read these words will remember the hunter lodges, 
the mysterious language of signs among members of tlie lodges, 
the discussions that were in the niij^ht air about attackinor Kings- 
ton, the robbery of the Watertown arsenal, the burning of the 
Sir Robert Peel near Wells island, the memorable trip of the 
United States across the lake and down this river, when the pa- 
triots gathered at Windmill Point and came to a quick and di&- 



19 

astrons end. Some were killed in the fig'lit and tliose wlio did 
not run away wlien the final stand was made at the mill, were 
taken prisoners and placed in confinement at Ivingston. Of the 
prisoners, some were banished to VanDieman's Land. Dorephus 
Abbey of Watertown, Daniel George of this village, Van 
Sehonltz the talented exile from Poland, and others were execut- 
ed. A few were released. Strenuous efforts were exerted in 
this town and county to influence the Canadian authorities not to 
inflict the death penalty upon the iinhappy men, but ten were 
liung, eighteen released, fifty-eight pardoned, sixty transported,, 
three acquitted, four turned Queen's evidence, "and of ten," says 
the historian of Jefferson county, "we have been unable to ascer- 
tain their fate." The penalty was too severe, considering the 
youth, the delusion, and tlie deception practiced upon the larger 
portion of those engaged in this melancholy affair. 

THE GREAT REBELLION. 

During the civil war the state of New York placed 426,000 
iTien in the army and navy. Cape Yincent contributed of this 
number her full quotas. The quota under the call of October 17 
1863 was 44 ; under that of February 1, 1864 it was 70 ; March 
14, 28 ; July IS, 56 ; December 19, 40. The guns which batter- 
ed down Fort Sumpter in 1861 were scarcely cold before the loy- 
al citizens of this town began to urge the necessity of saving the 
nation from the disgrace which that act was designed to bring up- 
on it. On the 6 of August 1862 a permanent war committee 
was appointed at a meeting of the citizens which continued till 
1865. In February of this year (1865) the committee reported 
that $235.85 still remained in its hands unexpended, of the mon- 
ey raised to pay bounties. They were authorized and directed 
to use the balance at their discretion in providing for the fami- 
lies of the volunteers. A special town meeting was held on the 
12 of January 1864 when it was voted — 263 against 52 — to tax 
the town sufficiently to pay a bounty of $300 to each person who 
should thereafter volunteer into the service of the United States 
and be credited to Cape Yincent. Previous to the appointment 
of thi§ war committee the volunteers received little or no bounty, 



20 

althongli small sums were given them by individuals as tliey left 
home, and they went under the stimulation of a patriotism that 
no man could lay to the charge of gi'oenbackp. Nor must we for- 
get the meeting of the ladies on Thursda}' evening, the 21 of 
August 18G2, when arrangements were made for a Union Festi- 
val, which was held a week later in the Fi'eight depot with great 
success. Several hundred dollars were there raised for the pur- 
pose of establishing a Soldier's Kelief Fund, and this sum was in- 
creased from time to time by the ladies as the families of soldiers 
here needed help, or requests were made to them for hospital sup- 
plies at the front. At the pi'climinary meeting the committee 
of the village was made to include two ladies from each school 
district of the town whose names are given in the report of the 
proceedings. It seeuis that certain cows and sheep had been do- 
nated to the ladies for tlie benefit of the Kelief Fund, and on the 
occasion of the festival the_y wei-e sold. If we had the names of 
the farmers wlio gave the stock they would be put in this place. 

During the years of the war, lai'ge meetings were held in diff- 
erent parts of the town — four liorse teams sometimes starting out 
of the village of Cape Vincent with banners and music, gathering 
audiences at Milieus Bay, St. Lawrence or around the steps of the 
church in French Settlement — when the citizens would endeavor to 
inspire one another with the vital responsibilities of the hour. The 
meetings of this village were nsually held in Ilendock hall, (over 
the store of Levi Anthony.) A lai'ge ci'owd once convened in the 
passenger depot ; a celebration Avas held on the Fourth of July 
1863 for Union funds ; and the energy displayed here through 
those anxious years of blood and suffering, those years when sons 
went from some of our homes never to return, those years when 
it was as much a glory and a martyrdom to sincerely tight for the 
liberty of the nation as ever characterized the land of the brave, 
those years M'hich have made this centennial freedom possible, 
from the grand old river before our very eyes down to the great 
Gulf — the war energy exerted in Cape Vincent then must go on 
record as a constituent element of the county and the state whicli 
made the town a loyal and patriotic one. A list of the soldiers 
who went from this town or were credited to it may be found on 
one of the last pages. 



21 



FIRES AND DISASTERS. 



Cape Vincent has suffered from tires of which the folhjwlng 
have been recalled : A store, hotel and barns built many years 
a'^o by Mr. Joseph Cross on the corner of Gouvello and James 
street ; a saw and gvkt mill at the foot of Gouvello street belong- 
iiii^ to Theophilus Peuguet ; the foundry of Mr. John Forsyth in 
1S61 ; the railroad woodfeouso and a large quantity of wood ; the 
Elevator on the 30 of September 18G3 ; the steamer Watertown, 
September 9, 18G5, when one life was lost ; six or seven buildings 
cornering on Broadway and Market street and running east and 
north, in the forenoon of February 7, 1S06; the shingle mill at 
the foot of Broadway, November the 22 of the same year; a most 
distressing accid(jnt, fifteen or eighteen years ago at Rents Creek, 
when a block house was completely destroyed by tire and a whole 
family by the name of Grimshaw were burned with it beyond re- 
cognition ; and more sad than even this and all other disasters 
combined, contrasted with which the loss of property bears no 
comparison, the burning of the Wisconsin off the shore of Gren- 
adier island during the night of May 21, 1867. Last year (1875) 
large stacks of grain belonging to Mr. Albert Rice of St. Law- 
rence, amounting to $13,000, were totally consumed by lire 
-which was caused by the friction of some portion of the thresh- 
ing machine engaged 411 threshing the grain at the time. When 
the Elevator was burned 36,000 i)ushels of grain were in tlif bins, 
only half of which were insured. A dwelling house was saved 
from tiie flames a few years ago l)y incessant snow balling. An 
upper cabin steamer named the Ocean Wave was burned near the 
Ducks in 1853 and twenty-three lives were lost. 

THE BrRNING OF THE WISCONSIN. 

But this community never had intenser feelings or more sym- 
pathetic hearts than was manifested when the propeller Wiscon- 
sin was burned and twenty four persons went suddenly into the 
presence of God. The last body taken from the water was that of 
Andrew F. Morrison the engineer, six weeks after the disaster. 
The Wisconsin was a steamer belonging to the Northern Trans- 
portation Company and was on her third trip bound for Chicago. 
About one hundred persons, including the crew and the five pas- 



22 

seii_<]fers wliicli i^ot on" at Cape Vincent, niadf np the company. 

She left the wliarf not far from half after ten in the evening^. 

The night was dark, a drizzling rain was falling, nearly all the 

passengers were in their herths, an half hour later and n)any were 

asleep when — " Fire! the boat is on lire!" rang through the cabins 

with that shrillness and horror such as only terror could give the 

cry. Men and women hni-ried out of their rooms half dressed or 

... . • 

in their night clothes, to find the flames bursting through the 

liurricane deck and crowding up around the smoke stack like the 
tongues of fiery snakes, and gorging the hatchway near the en- 
gine as if mad that it had so little freedom. Ko description of 
that terrible night can be adequately given. Captain Townsend 
immediately gave orders to head the Wisconsin for Grenadier is- 
land and to clear away the yawls. Ordy the big yawl seems to 
have been of much service, and when that was brought abreast 
of the rail, panic stricken men and women rushed into it without 
a consideration as to the load it would b(;ar. Seeing the confus- 
ion the captain ordered the yawl lowered to the water and in that 
position it remained till the steamer was beached. Thus fasten- 
ed to the side of the propeller and quite out of sight from the 
deck, they rushed on together, side by side into the inky dark- 
ness leaving behind them a lurid stream of flames and cinders, 
and uttering more than one beseeching cry to God for the shore. 
Just as the steamer struck the beach somef* person in the forward 
part of the yawl cut the rope which held her fast, the stern rope 
Btill being secured, when she instantly turned bottom upwards 
and eighteen or twenty persons were thrown into the water. 
Some might even then have been saved, as they were ordy fifty 
or sixty feet from land, but tlie wheel was running at full speed 
so that every person was drawn under by the swell and perished. 
Jumping over the bow of th-j propeller, the steward C. II. Dodge 
— all honor to his name — swam ashore with a rope, the end of 
which he fastened securely and then went back and remained in 
the water to assist the remaining passengers to reach the island 
and save their lives More than one, in his efforts to shove him- 
Belf along over the rope dropped off and was picked up by Cort- 
land II. Dodge. It is believed that no one was lost who re- 
mained on the Wisconsin and used this rope as a means of res-. 



Jo 

cue. On the next moniln*; very early, the steamer WutertoWii, 
hearing of the hurning wreck, went np to the scene of death and 
soon after returned to the village with fourteen bodies. They 
were placed side l)y side in the fi eight house, a coroner's inquest 
was held in the iiotel of the p<assenger depot and nearly all the 
bodies were buried in the old cemetery on Market street. Tha 
loss of Mr. Robert Chisholm's wife and four children, and the 
ntter wreck of his fortune and hopes, can never be forgotten by 
this generation. Ten other bodies were found from time to time 
as they washed ashore. Nor mnst it be forgotten to record the 
special efforts of the Transportation Company in bearing the ex- 
penses which the accident occasioned, and especially the kindness 
of the islanders and residente of this village, in furnishing food, 
clothing and money, so far as it was required for the immediate 
necessities of the survivors. All those who were saved returned 
to this village on the following day. 

KELIGIOUS SERVICES. 

The first religious services were conducted by Mr. Richard M. 
Esselstyn in his own house. The meetings were held each Sab- 
bath when the Episcopal service and a sermon were read by him, 
followed by an extempore prayer from Deacon Kindall who was 
a Baptist. These were the days when a good old Scotchman 
from Wolf island would attend the primitive worship and bring 
his family. The row across the river, especially in the warm days 
of July, developed a tendancy to sleep during the reading of the 
sermon, and this restful feeling was universally indulged. The 
boys then, as it sometimes happens now, were always ready for 
the closing doxology and eagerly watched for the vigorous shak- 
ing of uncle Cochrane's foot, because that shaking not only indi- 
cated the breaking up of the good man's nap, but also the near 
end of the services. Previous to 1S20 missionaries came into the 
settlement and the names of a Mr. Avery and a Mr. Flint are 
still remembered. There is still preserved the original draft of a 
paper stating that the first Sabbath school was started on the 30 
day of July, 1820, with J. B. Esselstyn and Buel Fuller as mana- 
gers, R. M. Esselstyn superintendent, and Mr. Ellis teacher. 
There is also the draft of the first constitution that formed the 



2-t 

" Auxiliary Female Missionary Society of Cape Vincent." This 
organization was befoi'C that of any church and not far from the 
date of startin''- the first town Bible Societ}-. 

THE PKESBYTEKIAN CnUKCII. 

The Presbyterian chui-ch be^an its formal existence on the 
second day of Mai-ch, 1823, at the house of Oliver J>ynch. Rev. 
Koah M. Wells of Brownville modei'ated the mectin<5 and prob- 
abl}' drew up the confession of faith and the covenant which 
were then adopted. The following ei;i;ht persons constituted the 
original membership: Oliver Lynch, Abi'aham Morrow, Matilda 
Lynch, Jane Forsyth, Mary Forsyth, Cynthia Hogers, TIezekiah 
IL Smith, and Amnarillis Mills. At this meeting Jedediah 
Mills was received on pi'ofessiou and Oliver Lynch and Aljraham 
Morrow were chosen elders and deacons. Mr. Lynch scton after 
moved to the west. On the 25 of the next June the church was 
received into the Presbytery of St. Lawrence on the same day 
when Charles G. Finney, who became the eminent revivalist, 
was taken under its care as a candidate for the gospel ministry. 
In 1824 a large meeting of this ecclesiastical body was held in 
our villajve. The first services were begun in a school house that 
stood near the old cemetery; afterwards in a hatter's shop on 
Broadway; then in the ball room of the Ivathbun house ; next 
in a wheelwright shop; and later still, in a hotel building at the 
foot of James street that was burned many years ago. On the 
13 of February, 1832, the " First Presbyterian Society " was or- 
ganized with Simon Howard, Henry Ainsworth, Michael Myers, 
R. T. Lee and James Buckley as trustees. The church building 
was commenced the same year, $400 and the lot having been giv- 
en by Mr. Le Ray towards the project. It was occupied the 
next year by the use of temporary seats, and continued in an 
unfinished state till about 1840, when tlie inside was com- 
pleted. 

Rev. Jedediah Burchard was the first minister, who came in 
1824, and during the two years of his ministry increased the 
membership to more than fifty persons. There were large 
accessions in 1850. In 1852, the year when the bell was pur- 
chasedj the church numbered 135 members. 



The \vlieclwriii,lit sliop wliere the early services were held wa* 
Nvitlioiit iiincli niiderpiiiniiig and st(^od two or thi'ee feet above 
the <^round. One Sahhath while Mr. Bnrehard was preaching 
Verj' earnesth' on tilie willingness of doing whatever God calls upon 
His to do, he was greatly aiinoyed by half a dozen pigs that grunt- 
•ed and rooted around bcMeath the shop floor. Neither did it 
please the congregation. ISnddenl}' grace and patience gave way, 
when Mr. Burcluird stopped short in his discourse and called out: 
■^'Iluloi)!! Shepherd, drive out those hogs." 

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

As ak'mil}' iniilicated the first religious services were Episco^ 
|3aliau an<4 conducted by Richard Esselstyn. These services were 
'ootitiniied watli iM'o;fe or less frequency, sometimes at Cape Yin- 
"ceM't and sometimes at Milien's Bay, till St. -John's parish was 
organised on the ^5 of >?aniiary ISil, while Rev. John Noble 
was recto^-. Jolm B. Sssefetyii and Nelson B. Williams were 
then chosen Wardens; and Nelson Potter, Otis P. Starkey, Rob- 
ert Bartlett, Calvin Po«l, Jndah T. Aiiisworth, Robert Moore,. 
Rice Parish, and William Esselstyn^, v-esti'-ynien. The lot upon 
which the church building stands was the gift of Mr. Starkey 
And contained an acre of land-. The tii-st interment in the parish 
cemetery was tlie body of Jonathan Hovvland, who died tiie 
same 3'ear of the organization, at the age of 60 years. The build- 
ing was erected in IS-il and consecrated on the second daj^ of 
June 1842, with the approbation of Bishop DeLancey. A neat 
parsonage was built not long after the church edifice. At the 
present time, and this has been the case for several years past, 
tlie rector of St. John's parish holds preaching services every oth- 
er Sabbath afternoon at Milieu's Bay. There is a good building 
at the Bay which was completed in 1872 by the union efforts of 
the Episcopalians and the Methodists of that place. The Meth- 
odist class there is connected with the charo-eat St. Lawrence and 
iias a regular service on alternate Sabbaths. 

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHUKCIIES. ' 

Although the Methodist church was organized several years 
after those already named, it was yet this denoaiination which 



"26 

maintained the first stated preaching. A class was formed not 
far from 1820 and tlie first conference appointment was that of 
Seth Green in 1827. From 1827 to the present time preaching 
lias been given, directly in accordance with the plans of the con- 
ference or else under the management of the presiding elders. 
During the early history of the field, which embraced the north- 
ern territory of Jefferson County, the quarterly meetings were 
very largely attended by people who lived many miles away from 
the place of gathering. The church in the village of Cape Vin- 
cent was legally organized on the 14 day of October 1851, under 
the ministry of Rev. William Jones and with a membership of 
fifty-five persons, twelve of whom were probationers. The names 
of the original trustees were William King, George AkerJine, 
William Esselstyn, Philetus Jiidd, Asa S. Jones, John Hollen- 
beck, and John Nims. It is stated that the property of the 
society, twenty-five years ago consisted of a good cooking stove 
with its necessary pipe and furniture. Sabbath services were 
lield in the stone school building on Point street, until the erec- 
tion of the church in 1855. In 1854 a Methodist Sunday-school 
was organized with thirty scholars, and this was after the school 
established on the Xorth Shore. The parsonage belonging to 
this society was completed two years ago, a portion of the pres- 
ent house having been purchased for that purpose previous to 
1874. Until this year (1876) the church has received aid from 
the Missionary Society, but it is now self-supporting. 

The first religious services in the St. Lawrence region of the 
town were under the direction of Elder Warner, a preacher of 
the Christian denomination. This order flourished for several 
years, and when it began to wane, the first Methodist class was 
formed with Morris Cornwell and wife, Christopher Treadwell 
and wife, and Mrs. Jeremiah Newville as the original members. 
This class was organized later than 1840 and continued till the 
17 of August 1868, when the "Second Methodist | Episcopal 
Church of the town of Cape Vincent" was begun, and the fol- 
lowing trustees elected : Samuel Dillen, Edward K. Farr, Alon- 
zo Walrath for three years ; Albert E. Rice, and Alanson Abby, 
for two years ; and Samuel Swartwout and Russel Wright for 
one year. The house of worship was erected in the summer oi 



1869 and dedicated on tlie 15 of the following December. Pre- 
vious to the oi'ganization of the church, St. Lawrence was only a 
preaching station. The largest revival, probably ever known in 
the vicinity, blessed the congregation during tlie winter of 1874 
and 1875, and very large accessions were made to the member- 
fihip. 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES. 

It is a matter of regret that records concerning j;he Roman 
Catholic churches, both of French Settlement and the village, are 
not at hand for the purpose of a historical narrative. The church 
at the Settlement was built by Mr. Le Ray and given to the peo- 
ple. The church in the village was dedicated in June 1858 with 
Bishop McCloskey officiating. 

THE MORMON VISITS. 

Two noteworthy visits were made to this town by Mormon 
elders. The first one was in 1833 and the last one about 1848. 
They assumed to work miracles, lieal the sick by miraculous 
power ; and Patton and Parish, who were the first visitors, 
claimed the ability " to interpret any language that man could 
speak." Crosby and Brown who followed these, fifteen years 
later, attempted all manner of wonderful works except to raise 
the dead.* The raising of a dead man they prudently never at- 
tempted. Sometimes they would baptize — and always by im- 
mersion — in the night. To give a wierd character to the per- 
formance, one of the young converts was baptized in a large well. 
Meetings were held at St. Lawrence and Wilson Settlement, and 
during 1833 in this village. In some instances whole families 
went over to Mormonisin and all grew merry as a marriage bell — 
for the more marriage the better — till challenges were issued for 
a public debate with any one who believed they had no right to 
as many wives as Abraham, or as much divine power as Paul. 
It happened in 1833 that Rev, William Moore, but a short time 
in this country from Ireland, was supplying the pulpit of the 
Presbyterian church. He belonged to the Methodist denomina- 
tion. At one of their Mormon meetings Patton boldly advo- 
pated his supernatural gift of tongues, and challenged any persoii 



in tlie house to dfspnfe tlie clnnn or tlie doctrines of tlie JVIor-iiioff 
relifjion. Bnt this was tlie rope that linns; tliem. Mr. Moore 
qnietl}' arose in liis seat and accepted the challeno-e. The time 
of tlie dehate was at once airaiiired and when the evenino; came, 
the house was crowded at an early honr. Mr. Moore had a2:reed 
tn speak first and hei^an with these words fi-oni the P)ihle : " O 
full of all snhtllty, and all mischief, thoii child of the devil, thou 
enemy of all risjhteonsness, will thoii not cease to peiwert the 
rio^ht ways af the Lord." (Acts tS! : tO.) Tie sjioTve al)ont an honiv 
showed the difference hetween tlie miracles of the Scriptures and 
those of these Mormon advocates, and closed by calllno; attention 
to Patton^s claim, pnl»licly and aiidaclonsly made, that he conkT 
Interpret any laiifjnao-e under the sun. Then turninir to Patton 
he repeated the Apostles Greed In ^-enulne Irish and told him tcr 
Interpret the same. Put not a word could he ijet fi'om him or the 
other Mormon. They were siclc. The conirreiiation and Mr. 
Moore waited towards half an lion?', hut not one word was heard 
in reply. Persons In the cono-refratlon arose and addressed them ,' 
and a listener said, that the Methodist ])reacher finally told Mi'- 
Patton that he dare not undertake to speak those Irish words for 
if lie did It would crack his jaws. They left to^vn soon after. 

Crosby and Brown at St. Lawrence, about tSIS, came to air 
end equally uncomfortable. This was done bv a sermon from a 
Baptist minister still livln<;ln this county. Thev Invited Elder 
Blount to preach on the ]iromlse of Christ to n^^lve mli-aculous 
power to his followei-s and to show why It miirht not be fulfilled 
in their ease. He finally accepted the Invitation. At the ap- 
pointed time all the nel(rhborhood wei'e present. 

Brown and Crosl)y had very earnestly declared that they had 
cured a sick child l)y prayer and the laylno; on of hands; but 
Elder Blount inquired how it happened that the boy finally died, 
if he was healed by them ? These two sorcerers had also stated, 
and their followers confirmed their statement, that they frequently 
removed distressing; Iieadaches by divine influencos ; but the El- 
der asked why it was, then, that they secretly gave a rousinsT 
emetic ? Perhaps they intended to throw the headache out of 
the mouth. The Apostle James speaks of annointino; the sick 
'A-ith oil and praying over thcni. The Mormons dedaved that 



29 

tliey had dune that very thing' in the casa of rhemuatie individn-. 
nls with instantaneous effect ; but the J3a[)tist minister, who had 
8ly]y been instructed in the details of the annointing, proved to 
the audience that they nearly skinned the back of t»nc poor fellow 
by i'ubl>ini^ it with turpentine and then applying a hot sliovel. 
This kind of debating soon checked the I'cligioiis wickedness and 
nonsense, and the next spring Crosby and Drown, witii a few ad- 
herants, Went back to xNauvoo. 

THE FKKKY I.INE8. 

The first ferry wa8 established by Abijali Putnam, the founder 
of l*oi't Putnam, and it extended fi'om that villnge across the 
big bay to Wolf island, Al)out 1809 the second fei'ry was started 
from Gi'avelly Point to Hinckley's Point of the same island. 
Eber Keisey ferried from this side for many years, and 
Samuel Jlinckley from the other. Poi' ten years Peter Sternberg 
controlled a ferry fi'om Carlton island to Wolf island. Pow 
boats and scows were m^ed until 1847 wlien a small steamer 
called the Farmer made trips fi'om and to Kingston, being gov- 
erned by the demands of ficight and passengers as to the fre- 
quency of her trips. The year after the railroad was completed 
to Cape Vincent, the Wolf Island Canal was cut by a stock com- 
pany, in which the i-ailroad and the city of Kingston weie inter- 
ested, as well as private individuals. The Lady of the Lake was 
used as a ferry boat by the Cape Vincent and Rome railroad dur- 
ing 1852 while the J(^hn Counter was being Imilt especially for 
the route. The John Counter was owned and managed by the 
aforesaid stock company and designed to I'un through the canal, 
but was found too lai'ge. She was used, however, during the fall 
of 1853 and the spi'ing uf 185-4, makin,; trips around the head of 
the island, until !^old to ]);!rtics in Montreal. The Star took her 
place during the i-emrunder of tlie season. Crcoi'ge \V^. Ci'eighton 
was captain of l)oth the John Counter and the Star. Li 1855 
the steamer Sir Charle? Na]>i('r, foruiei-ly owned l»y the Ameri- 
can lake and steamboat company, was ])inehased by Captain 
Creighton and commanded l>y him until tlie spring of 1858, 
when Kiiighorn and Hinckley organized a com])any, putting the 
Pierrcpont on the line and following her, at a later date, with 



30 

tlie Watertown. In 1873 Messrs. Folger Bros, aiid Nlckle pur- 
chased these steamers, Captain Hinckley still retaining his interest. 
The line steamers Maud and Geneva are now making regnlar 
trips between Cape Vincent and Kingston. The master of the 
Maud is Captain Theodore Hinckley, and of the Geneva, Captain 
Coleman Hinckley, Jr. 

The first ferry boat from Clayton wat? a little steamer called 
the Wren, which commenced daily trips in 1868 and ra)i two 
seasons. The Midge took her place in 1870, making the same 
trip as the Wren, and also goiiig from Clayton to Gananoque 
ea(;h afternoon. The Wren was run by S. D. Johnston, and the 
Midge by John Johnston. In 1873 the J. II. Kelly took the 
route from Alexandria I3ay to Cape Vincent, making two round 
trips per day. She was succeeded last year (1875) by the T. S. 
Faxton under the command of Captain Holt — and her whistle is 
blowing the announcement of her arrival at the wharf with pas- 
sengers for the morning train, as these words are written. 

THE CUSTOM- HOUSE. 

The custom-house District of Cape Vincent was organized on 
the 18 of April 1818. Previous to this date Cape Vincent was 
only a port of entry in charge of a deputy, with Sacketts Har- 
bor as the headquarters. It is now the point where the chief of- 
ficer is stationed and comprises the entire coast of Jefferson coun- 
ty, Sacketts Harbor having been consolidated with the Cape 
Vincent District March 3, 1863. There are ten ports of entry. 
During the period of the non intercourse laws and the embargo, 
smuggling was a very animated business, without much injury to 
the consciences of the people since they firmly believed that those 
regulations were wrong as well as unnecessary. For many years 
it was an unsettled question whether Carlton island belonged to 
the United States or the Dominion. A quantity of goods was 
seized on that territory during the administration of John Quincy 
Adams, and more than one cabinet meeting was held at Wash- 
ington to determine what disposition should be made of the seiz- 
ures. In June 1812 Elijah Fields, Jr., a deputy collector station- 
ed at Cape Vincent, seized two schooners and their cargoes — the 



ol 

^'in^ura and the Ontaru)— niuler the belief that they were en- 
sraired in sinnirirliMfr. After an examination of the case the Ou- 
tario was released for want of sufficient evidence, but the Niaga- 
1-a and her load were sold. The first collector was John 1>. Es- 
seistyn, who served the government more than four years before 
any salary was established, and this was started at tiic extrava- 
gant figure of §250 per annum. The exports were comparative 
ly of no consequence before the building of the railroad ; and 
no record of exports is made in the quarterly report which was. 
drawn up just before the running of the regular trains. The 
next report had the item of exports set down at $20,000. There 
are forty-five vessels owned in the District of Cape Vincent, of 
which thirty-one are sail vessels and fourteen steam. The ton 
nage of the former is 4,538 and of the latter 598. The nund)er 
of vessels entered and cleared are about a thousand a year. The 
exports of American manufactures through the District of Cape 
Yincent for the last ten years have been about $550,000 annual- 
ly, of which $250,00 are exports in bond. The imports for the 
same time have been about $500,000 annually. The imports in 
the fur trade were $112,000, and the pounds of fresh fish from 
Canada were 700,000 pounds, for the year 1875. 

THE CAPE VINCENT AND KOME RAILKOAD. 

The first thoroughfare was the state road which was com- 
pleted from Brownville to Port Putnam in 1803. The turn- 
pike was made several years later ; and in 1832, a Black River 
company was oi'ganized with legal authority to build either a canal 
or railroad, from Rome to Cape Vincent, Sacketts Harbor or 
Ogdensburg. But this company did not breathe very long. In 
1846 another act of the legislature granted the right of construct- 
ing the Rome and Cape Vincent railroad which likewise failed 
after a few months of struggle. Nine years later the matter was 
again agitated with more capital within reach, more meetings in 
Kingston, Cape Vincent and Watertown, and in 1848 work was 
commenced at Rome, and the last rail laid to the shore of the St. 
Lawrence in the spring of 1852. The first train appeared in 
April of that year amid great rejoicing and hearty cheers. RegT 
ular trains began to rnn in the following May. The Rome, Wa- 



tLM'towii ;VM(1 Ondoiishiiro' conipauy, wliic-h also controls the Lake 
Ontario J^liore; I'oad to Tsia^ai'a rivur, now owning and snccessful- 
\y nianai^inji,' tliu route, lia\(! 3000 feet of wharfage on the shore 
of the vilhige. The iVeight house is (100 feet long, and the pas- 
senger depot, including the hotel, is 200 hj 50 feet. No cars are 
run on the Sabhath, no accidents of any moment have ever occnr- 
led to its trains, no I'oad in theEm])ire state, except the Central, 
is believed to be more prosperous, while none are better equip- 
l)ed. 

Twenty two years ago live propeliors connected the Cape Yin- 
cent and Rome raiiioad with the Michigan Central at Deti'oit, 
by means of which iuin!jiis(^ (piaiitities of freight were transport- 
ed to and from this port. The magnitieent Ontario steamers Jia}' 
State and New York, touched hei'e every day in their trip be 
twcen Odgensbui'g and Lewiston. And the ferry line to King- 
ston brought the town into diiect communication with another 
8teand)oat route, which extended to all the principal hmdings on 
the Canadian side of the Lake. As a result of this general traf- 
iic all branches of local business were greatly stimulated in Cape 
Yincent, and the prospects of a large town were very flatter- 
ing. 

For some reason which the historian is not able to discuss, some 
of this commercial business started twenty-live years ago, was 
soon diverted to other channels. The place is seriously, affected 
by the "hard times" that are just now burdening the people ev- 
erywhere. And yet a new source of growth is opening which 
might be made a matter of permanent advantage. It is no ex- 
ageration to say, that the grandeur and comfort and health of the 
magnificent St. Lawrence, is gaining the attention of ,.the entire 
world. A few days or weeks of summe-r recreation has become 
a fixed habit of the American people, so that there is no place 
for an argument against the belief that the pleasure travel to this 
vicinity, will continue to increase from year to year, for several 
years to come. Who ever came to these shores and expressed 
any dissatisfaction with its glories, its refreshing air, its grander 
sense of life, such as can be secured under no other circumstances? 
Once here is more than twice here, with two or three friends in 
addition. It has been estimated by ten or twelve men, independ' 



33 

^vtly of eucli other and not eonntiii<; the inereasini; number who 
^jto*" here, that no less than seven hundred passengers went through 
xjiiv depol each day during the pleasure season of last year. This 
rtverageestiniAteiscertainly low enough. But this travel has doub- 
led within three years; and live years ago, there were probably 
not?even hundred pleasure travelers daring the entire summer. 
Of course forty or fifty thousand people coming to the banks of the 
St. Lawrence at this point is of trifling benetit towards the growth 
i)f the populavion, in itself considered ; but what man or w'oman 
can forget the place, when tlie first sight of the clear, majestic 
river, was out of the car window as they came into the Cape Vin- 
cent depot ? The situation is a grand one. And if capitalists, 
now strangers to us, can be induced on recognizing tlie fact to 
settle here, the traveling population becomes at last a permanent 
one. The city of Saratoga was built up in this way of acquaint- 
ance from the outside, earnestly and persistently encouraged by the 
residents. For this reason it was said that a new source of bus- 
iness and growth is opening here of which advantage may be 
gladly taken. But these last words exceed the province of the 
iiistorian and the sketch is here ended with two verses from a 
poem by B. F. Taylor : 

Ah, beautiful river, 

Flow onward forever ! 
Thou art grander than Avon, and sweeter than Ayr ; 

If a tree has been shaken. 

If a star has been taken, 
In thy bosom we look — bud and Pleiad are there ! 

O, pure and clear river, 

Make music forever 
In the Gardens of Paradise, hard by the throne ! 

For on thy far shore. 

Gently drifted before, 
We may find the lost blossoms that once were our own. 



OTHER HISTORICAL INFORMATION. 



Some of the best farius in Jeiferson county may be found in 
Cfipe Vincent. Much of the lowland, which was once considered 
of little value, has been drained and n)ade very productive. The 
commercial and general business of the town compare well with 
others of its size, — and still opportunity for improvement. The 
telegraph business, for the last ten years, has averaged from 
three to four thousand dollars per year. The express business 
has averaged $25,000 for ten years past ; and last year, it reached 
$35,000. The propellers of the Northern Transit Company, 
running from Ogdensburg to Chicago, touch at this port, and 
have secured a business of $19,000 or more, each year, for the 
same length of time. At the present time, more than 800,000 
pounds of fresh fish are annually shipped from Cape Vincent to 
■different parts of the state. About two hundred men and about 
«eventy-five boats are employed in collecting and shipping the 
itish. Collections for duties on imports at the Custom House, 
since 1860, have averaged about $100,000 annually. The rail- 
road business has not fallen below $80,000 per year, for the same 
tiwe, and has run beyond $100,000, in some instances. The 
present Elevator was built in 1864, and has a capacity of two 
hundred thousand bushels, of which the yearly business lias been 
about four hundred thousand bushels. In connection with this 
trade are the two fine schooners — the L. S. Hammond and the 
Polly Rogers. The former is commanded by Captain Richard 
i5aui»4ers, and the latter, by Captain Joseph Saunders. The Ele- 
yjjitor and the vessels are owned by E. K. Burnham, Esq. 

Ckmeteries. — The first cemetery was on the farm of John B. 
Esselstyn, (the Hassler farm) of which there is now. no trace. 
The graves have been plowed over. In 1820 there were not twen- 
ty-five graves in the village cemetery. It is now nearly full, which 
is also true of the burial grounds at Warren Settlement. On 
the 13 of September, 1875, a stock company was formed under 



35 

the title of the Itiverside Ceineteiy Association, with the follow- 
ing stockholders : ¥. A. Cross, Gilbert Robbins, John Robbins, 
Willrtrd Ainsworth, Philip Marks, Levi Anthony, I. T. Cross, 
George atid William Grant, Norman Ross, Charles P. Morrison, 
John Buckley, William Anthony, and William Esselstyn. Wil- 
liam Esseliiityn, Francis A. Cross, Willard Ainsworth, Normaii 
Ross, Gilbert Robbins, and Levi Anthony were chosen trustees. 
The grounds are about half a mile below the limits of the corpo- 
ration and are beautiful for situation. , 

Newspapers. — The Cape Vincent Gazette was started by Paul 
A. Leach, and the first number was dated May 8, 1858. It was 
succeeded by the Frontier Patriot, May the 10, 1862, with P. H. 
Keenan editor and proprietor. Mr. Keenan entered the army in 
1862, when the name of Robert Mitchel appeared as editor, and 
P. H. Keenan as proprietor. In the fall of 1862, Mitchel ab- 
sented himself to buy a new stock of paper, and has not yet re- 
turned. The Cape Vincent Eagle appeared on the 18 of April, 
1872 and is still continued a flourishing local paper. W. W. 
Ames is editor and proprietor. Mr. Frank Potter has a complete 
file of all the papers that have been published in this town, from 
the first issue of the first volume. 

Telegraph. — The first telegraph line to Cape Vincent was 
built in 1856, and the money was chiefly raised in this town by 
subscription. It was soon after abandoned. Mr. Joseph Owen 
built another line in 1864, assisted very materially by A. F. 
Smith. This was sold to the Provincial Telegraph Company, in 
July 1865, and became a part of their line to Oswego and Cana- 
da. The Montreal company bought out the Provincial company 
in March, 1867, which has continued unchanged till the present 
year. C. C. Brown is the present manager, and has been in the 
office since 1872. 

The Dominion Telegraph Company opened an office in this 
village October 9, 1872. Sidney Block, operator. 

SOLDIERS OF THE REBELLION. 

The following names of soldiers, who enlisted from this town, 
or were credited to it, during the civil war of 1861-1866, have 
been chiefly taken from a list made out for official purposes. 



3(1 

About twenty-five other names liave been added, and it is lioped 
that the names below will be found to make iipa eomplete list: 

130 Inf.— n. F. Rogers; 14 Inf.— M. B. Ladd ; 12 Inf.— Robert Percy; 
16 Art. — Samuel White ; 138 Inf. — James McKee ; 25 Cav. — James Brown ; 
122 Inf, —J. G. Roseboom ; 104 Inf. — Heniy Huck ; 15 Cxx. — John Cleene ; 
106 Inf. — Jacob Miller; 9 H. Art. — Joseph llibbnrd; 103 Inf.— Joseph 
Majo, wounded; 11 Cav. — Thomas Hudson ; 24 Inf. — Albert Lee, re-enlist- 
«d in 2 N, Y. Artillery; 102 Inf. — John O'Connor, re-enlisted; E. Brooker; 
5 Art. — Samuel Hubbard; H. M. Downey; Navy. — J. F. Ackerline; Pat- 
rick Jlyan; 34 Inf. — John H. Moore, lost leg; William Cary, transferred; 
•24 Inf. — Patrick Ryan, re-enlisted; William Barup, severely wounded ; 14 
Art. — James Rachlord ; Alex. Delmars; John Rinagle ; 185 Inf. — A. G. 
Rogers; Lorenzo Dodge; Francis Bailey; 1 L. Art.— John Miller; George 
Darby; Nelson Swartwout; L.Swartwout; Joseph Zeron ; 6 Wis. — O. Stow- 
£ll; 2 III. L. Art. — Frank Goulding; 57 Mass. — Jabez Bullis; 39 III, 
A. Hurlburt; 8 Mo. — Sidney Aii sworth, Lieut. 

193 Inf. — J. B. Esselstyn; R. W. King; Horace Smith; Joseph Albeck- 
«r; Sidney Ainsworth, captain, re-enlisted; B. B. Offin; Peter Hose; Nor- 
man Ross, ord. s. 

35 Inf. — William Bctts, 2 Lieut., re-enlisted; James Rachlord; B. Plar- 
rington; A. D. Shaw, Corp., special agent, commissioned col. of 39 N. G. 
1865; Thomas Cameron, re-enlisted, 

186 Inf. — Erasmus Watkins; John Wliiting; A. Pettet; Peter Delmars; 
R. Chapman; Joseph Chapman; H.D. Chapman; Merrit Sperry ; A. K. 
Tuttle ; G. W. Pratt ; M. B. Ladd ; Orriu Rice ; Philip Gates ; F. B. Smith ; 
James Knight; W. H. Powers; Alex. Ladd; Lieut. ; Alonzo Walrath ; Wat- 
son Walrath; Joseph Wliit.'. 

20 Cav.— C. R. Robinson; F. Whittemore; William Betts; John O'Con- 
nor; Charles A. Briggs, 1 Lieut.; Andrew Miller, ord. serj, ; Chas. Clark; 
Philliii Monroe, wounded; Thomas Maloney; William AVarren ; Orvillc 
Fish; T. E. Briggs; II. or M. Perego ; John Reff; JudeLoilet; George 
Faker; Andrew Faker; John Woolaver; Sebastian Gregor; Joseph 
Welch. 

94 Inf. — J. Graham; E. F. Morrison; A. Morrison; Peter Sheldon, 
wounded at second battle of Bull Run ; Ransom Campbell, wounded ; De- 
los Arnold; I. Griffin; Austin Horr, captain; Austin M. Horr; Ed. Garland, 
wounded; Louis Mentz; James Webber; Joscpli Bedford ; Robert Carri- 
gan; Charles Elsworth ; Don A. Freeman; J. N. Forton; Swcetin Miller; 
Richard E. Keys; .John Shareman; Louis Latieur; Bruce Cough; William 
Karney; Mekendry William; Marshall S. B. Pringlc; William Hill; James 
Ratican ; Samuel Blair ; Thomas Counely ; Patrick Scheedy ; Joseph Trim- 
ble; James Wall; Jethro Worden; John Hair; James Griffin; Peter Carrol; 
George Frasier; Howard Roseboom. 



10 AuT. —John Shaffer, toip. ; ITcnry Zimmermun ; James Easterly ; Fred. 
G. Shaffer; Geo. Montney; U. M. Burnett; Isaac T. Cross, 2 Lieut. ; B. F. 
Cross; Joseph Lovell; Z. P. Briggs; J. AV. Pool, Corp.; Jolin O'Conncr; 
Charles A. Briggs, re-enlisted; Al'oert Briggs; Rohert Burgiss; Jolin Arm- 
strong, captain;" Jacob Bassa; John D. Clark; C. Clark; Henry Bccliut 
George Jondeo; W. Tansoii ; George Doty; W.E.Franklin; Joseph House; 
Gilbert Chapman; G. W.Pratt, re-enlisted; James P. Eector; George 
Lince; J. P. Lince; W. S. Carlisle; George Kinagle; Michad Reff; Frank 
Favrie, lost arm, wounded ia leg; E. D.-zongrcmel; Augu.stusRoats; Wil- 
liam Anthony, corp. ; Charles Judd, transfc.ied to N:\vy; A. HcUen'oeck ; 
John Smitli'ug; Charles Warren; Timotliy Farlick, W. A. Farluk; E. 
Comwell; .Arthur Wiiite; IIu;acc Ingerson; Thomas (Cameron: ITotac' 
Dodge; B. B. Braun : O. M. Cadwell; Louis Paiso; Bei\iamii> Akin; Carl 
Britzki; W. H. Bush; AmasaBass; Elislia L. Dodge; John Donahue; E. 
Dugal; Jacob Folen; Frank Favry; Jacob Fyrle; David Fort on; Barney 
Hazer; Louis P. Jodwine; E.Lawrence; AsaLanfier; James Lawience; 
Fred. Marks; N. McCarty; IraC. Nicols; Albert Percy; Alfred Pluche; 
G. H. Reade; Henry S. Simmons; B. L. Seeley; Samuel Woolaver. 

LIST OF THE DEAD 

as far as ascertained : 186 Inf —George Warren from effects of 
wounds ; George Chapman ; Albert Dillon corp. killed. 30 Wis. 
I„f._Jaines Garland. 04 Inf.— John Perego; AVilliam Allen 
killed; James B. Cough. 5 Inf.— Aschal Gloyd. 76 Inf.— Jno. 
Hyde supposed died iu rebel prison. 14 111.— Garret Niles cor- 
poral. 14 Inf.— G. L. Eoseboom ; A. G. Draper. 147 Inf.— 
W. Saunders. 18 Inf.— George Ellston. 24 Inf.— David Lodi 
killed at South Mountain. 59 Inf.— AUsinan. Navy— Peter 
Eeff. 10 Art.— Morris M. Pool died of smnll pox ; William 
Weaver; Henry Lince from wounds; C. S. Esselstyn of small 
pox ; Elnathan Judd from accidental wound ; Benjamin T. Judd 
shot in rifle pit in front of Petersburg!!. 

The following list does not claim to be complete of the sol- 
diers now living in town, who were living elsewhefe at the time 
of enlistment : 184 Inf.— John Schram ; 35 Inf.— A. I. Cratsen- 
berg ord. serj. Pwe-enlisted in 14 II. Art. Lost arm at battle of 
Cole Harbor. 1 Art.— John Iloyser corp.; 81 Inf.— W. H. 
Schram, also 20 cavalry. 11 Inf. regidar service,— E. A. Davis. 
16 Inf.— Charles I. Gardner, serj. ; lost an arm at South Moun- 
tain. 1 L. Art.— Ezra D. Ililtz, corp. ; lost arm at Willamsburg; 



Diiane Ililts served three years. 10 Art. — John 11. Parker. 
Lieut., promoted captain. 20 Cav. — Joseph Lewis. 118 Inf. — 
Paul DeJourdan. 

Rev. S. L. Merrell resigned his charge of the Presbyterian 
church in this village, in June 1861, and entered the 35 Lifantry 
as chaplain. lie served his full term of enlistment. 

Kev. O. p. Pitcher, now pastor of the M. E. Church, was en- 
gaged as a missionary among the soldiers, under the auspices of 
the Christian Commission and the Y. C. A. of Washington. 

Dr. Martin Braun was asst. surgeon in the 4 Cavalry, accord- 
ing to enlistment, but acting surgeon during the most of his ser- 
vice. 

Augustus du Fort was midshipman under Commodore Perry, 
and in the famous battle of Lake Erie, on the 10 of September 
1813. 

This list of soldiers is specially honored, by the additional name 
of General D. B. Sacket, who graduated at West Point in 1845 
and engaged in the Mexican war under General Taylor, in 1840. 
A horse was shot under him during this conflict ; he was engaged 
in three battles with the Mexicans, and for gallant conduct was 
made Bvt. First Lieut., May the 9, 1840. He was also Asst. In- 
structor of Cavalry Tactics, at the Military Academy, for more 
than four years ; saw service among the Indians and was at Fort 
Arbuckle, I. T., as Major of 1 Cavalry when the civil war broke 
out in 1861. From December 1861 to January 1863, he was 
Inspector-General of the army of the Potomac ; was also on the 
staff of McClellan and Burnside ; and was present at several bat- 
tles during the rebellion. A record of General Sacket's military 
career, from which this brief statement is made, may be found in 
Cullum's Biographical Kegister of the West Point officers and 
graduates. After indicating his promotions — Lieut., Captain, 
Major, Lieut. Col., Col. Staff, Bvt. Brig.-General — it closes with 

tJiese lines: 

Bvt. Major-General, U. S. Army, 

Mar. 13, 1865, 

For Faithful and Meritorious Services during the Rebellion. 



09 
* 
List of the names of those persons who uhto mustered into the 

\j. S. service hetween February I), ISGJ-. and A]»ril 5, 1865, by 
the l^i'ovost Mar.slial! of 20 J^istriet of New "i'uik, and ci-edited 
i>> the town of Capo Vificent : 

Thomas P. Cameron, William Fralich, Lewis Gandell, Jacob Zimmerman, 
Thos. Taylor, David Seeley,NicholasRhode,TimothyRande, Fredrick R.For- 
syth, John Hood, John Dobbs, Robert Burgess, William Cameron, William 
Flynn, Andrew Leary, George A. Webster, Albert L. Briggs, George Lents, 
Henry Lents, Albert E. Ingalls, Zemnl Briggs, Byron F. Cross, Benjamin 
Barney, Charles H. Belcher, Timothy Fralich, Albert Ryan, Peter Hose, 
Norman Ross, Samuel G. Hadley, Horace Smith, William H. Ely, Ben- 
jamin Offen, John Thompson, James B. Butterfield, John B. Esselstyn, Eli 
Barny, William R. King, William Gaddis, John Hunt, Daniel C. Barny, 
George A. Landon, George Remer, Jacob AUbecker, Lewis Hammond, 
Thomas Dillon, Michael McGinnis, Samuel Marvin, Nicholas LeRoy, David 
A. Chitister, William Weyers, James McKee, Thomas McCarty, Wm. Teel. 

Members of Assembly — When Cape Vincent was a part of 
Lyme: John B. Esselstyn 1822-25; Jere Carrier (Alexandria) 
1829 ; Otis P. Starkey 1836. From the town of Cape Vincent 
have been, Charles Smith 1853; Truman Fish 1859; Albert U. 
Shaw 1867. Mr. Shaw is now United States Consul at Toronto. 

District Aitornet — Watson M. Rogers 1874. 

Sheriff— Francis A. Cross 1861-1864. 

County Clerk — Richard M. Esselstyn 1813. 

A Banking Business was carried on for many years, by Otis 
P. Starkey, who was succeeded by L. S. Hammond. The town 
has been without a bank since the panic of 1873. 

A Town Agricultural Society was formed in the spnu<; 
of 1850, which flourished for several years. Its rules allowed 
persons living in Clayton, Lyme, and Wolf island to compete for 
premiums. 

Postmasters at Cape Vincent village: R. M. Esselstyn, till his 
death in 1822 ; Henry Ainsworth for a period not known ; John 
Duvillard 1841-45 ; Otis P. Starkey 1845-49 ; Augustus Ains- 
. worth 1849-53 ; Jacob Beringer 1853-61 ; Zebulon Converse, 
1861-65 ; John Moore is the present postmaster and began his du- 
ties in 1865. The office at St. Lawrence was established in 1848 
with Dyer E. Pierce as postmaster 1 848-56 ; G. W. Fairman 1857 ;. 



40 

X. P. Tnttle; D.E. Pierce re jippoijited 1659-05; W. Jolinson 
18G5; Tnimaii Piice, September J, 1805-67; W. II. Gaige 1867; 
Samuel Dilleii 1868; A. P. Ladd, August 12, 1808-72 ; G. A. 
Swrtitwout, 1872-74; the present postmaster is H. W. Reed who 
uas appointed in January 1874. 

The office at Milieu's Bay has been (h'scontinued, without ad- 
ding to the convenience of the people. 

Shipping. — The following list of vessels, built at Cape Vincent, 
is copied from the valuable histoiy of Jefferson County by Dr. 
Franklin Hough. The names of the first tnasters, when known, 
are given in italics : 

Schooners: Henry, John Davis; V. LeRay, do.-, 'La{ayette,Mastin; Ains- 
worth, J. BelisJe; Hannah, Peter Ingalls;O.V. Starkey, (^o./L. Goler, Zuca«; 
Victor, liipley; Free Trade, Shattuck ; Chief Justice Marshall, Edie; bng, 
Merchant, T. Pheatt; achoonevs, Henry Crevolin, Belisle; John 'E.Knnt, P. 
Ingalh; Napoleon, Crouch; Merchant, J. Harris; Amelia, JShattuck; Roscoe, 
do.; Potomac, do; brig, Iowa; sloop, Elizabeth Goler, Cummings ; brig, 
Patrick Henry, W. E. IngaUs ; schooner, Montezuma, (Smr^^; Troy; AUan- 
wick; Globe, Goler; propeller, St. Nicholas, Littz ; schooner, Ch-is. Smith, 
W. E. IngaUs; Algomah, Reid ; Silas Wright, Fuller; Port Henry, J. 
Jarvis. 

The T. II. Camp, a steam tug, was built last spi'ing (1876) by 
Luther Ueed of Henderson, for Horton Brothers & Ainsworth. 
Walter Horton, master. 

TiiK Masonic Lodge No. 344 F. and A. M., was instituted Ju- 
ly 10, 1822, by Isaac Lee installing officer. A petition was made 
to the Grand Lodge of the State of New York in December, 
1821 and was signed by sixteen residents, among whose names 
was that of Count Real. The masters of the Lodge, until 1831 
were as follows: J. B. Esselstyn, elected 1822; Z. Converse, 
1823; Phillip P. Gaige, 1825 ; D. W. Slocum 1826; G. S. Sack- 
ett, 1827 ; Zebulon Converse, 1828 ; C. Wright, 1830. The last 
meeting of this lodge was held May 26, 1831. Lodge No. 293 
was formed on the 28 of July 1853, with ten charter members. 
The masters have been : Zebulon Converse, elected 1853 ; A. J. 
Smith, 1859 ; Z. Converse, 1862 ; D. B. Owen, 1864 ; S. Bick- 
ford, 1866 ; H. A. House, 1868 ; G. R. Starkey, 1873 ; L. O. 
Woodruff, 1875. The present lodge has an active membership of 
about sixty-eight persons. The present officers are : L. O, 



41 

Woodruff, W. M. ; J. A. Scobell,S.AV. ; L. li. Dezengremel, J.W. ; 
P. Jndd,Treas.; W. J. Grant, Sec y. ; R. S. Scobell, S. I). ; W. T. 
Ebbs, J. D. ; Thos. Masson, S. M.C. ; Albert Lennon, J. M. C. ; A. 
11. Millen, Tiler. The officers are anuiially chosen, and some of 
the masters, as seen above, have beien continued m office several 
successive years. 

The Independent Order of Good Templars was inetitnted on 
the 24 of August 1866, The resrular meetino's have been sus- 
pended, but the charter still remains in the hands of the society. 
Previous to this organization the Sons of Temperance had a 
lodge for several years. 

Supervisors: For town of Lyme, living at Cape Vincent, 
-were Eichard M. Esselstyn 1818-22; John B. Esselstyn 1823; 
Willard Ainsworth 1824-32; Otis P. Starkey 1833; Jere Car- 
der 1834-35 ; Roswell T. Lee 1839; Theophilus Peugent 1845. 
Cape Vincent erected in 1859. First town meeting held at hotel 
of Jacob Beringer on the 15 of May ©f that year, Labin II. 
Ainsworth, O. P. Starkey and Benjamin "Webster presiding, with 
•J. L. Folger clerk. First supervisor Fredrick A. Folger, 1849 ; 
Robert C. Bartlett 1850-51; Charles Smith 1852 ; Otis P. Starkey 
1853-54; Calvin Fletcher 1855-56 ; William Estes 1857; Chas. 
Wraith 1858-61 ; William D Fuller 1862-63 ; William Van Nos- 
trand 1864; George F. Bartlett 1865 ; John U. Roseboom 1866; 
Oeorge F. Bartlett 1867-68 ; Henry A. House 1869; Hugh Mc- 
Candie 1870-71 ; Henry A. House 1872. The piesent supervi- 
■sor is Lloyd O. Woodruff and the present town clerk Ward E. la- 
galls, who have served since 1873. John Armstrong, Horace 
F. Stoel and Lorenzo Kelsey are assessors. Ezr.i D. Hilts, Wil- 
liam Estes, Edwin Gray and Mason B. Ladd are justices of the 
peace. 

The Village was inco-porated June 14, 1853, with a popu- 
lation of 1218 — Jere Carrier, Judah T. Ainsworth, James L. Fol- 
ger, Theophilus Peugnet, and L. H. Ainsworth were the first 
trustees. The presidents of the village since that date have been 
as follows: Jere Carrier 1854; John H. Roseboom 1855; Otis 
P. Starkey 1856 ; Zebulon Converse 1857 ; Calvtn Fletcher 1858 ; 
Alfred 5ioxl859; Gideon S. Sackett 1860; Charles Smith 1861 



42 

-63; A. F. Smitli 1805; Juliii IT. Eosebooni 18GG ; Sidney 
Ainsworth 1867; John B. Grapotto 1808 ; Charles Smith 1809; 
Levi Anthony 1870; G. AV. AVarren 1871-72; JoIim II. Rose- 
hooni 1873; AV^. M. Johnson 1874; Jolm 13. Grapottc 1S75. 
The officers of the village at the j)resent tiineai'e John B. Grap- 
otte president, John F. lirnnot, A. (t. Bnrnliam, and Philip 
Marks trustees. M. E. Lee has served, since 1860, as clerk 
Hiid attorney of the village. 

Kailroaii. — Lnniher and tiniber are bronglit to this port for 
transportation over tlie railroad, chiefly from places on the Bay 
of Quinte and the Ilideau canal. Until the present "hard times/' 
an iron ore train lan into Cape A^incent every day. Canadian 
goods ai'e shipped from this point, by rail, direct for Europe. 
The Agents have been •, C. ^Y. Kogers, J. S. Nicols, F. AV. Dom- 
ing, Si(biey Bickford, C. C. Case, E. JS^. Moore, Seth Dickinson, 
and J. AV, Brown, liichard AVall has been in the freight hou^e 
since the corn])letion of tl)e raili-oad. The preseut agent is 
William M. Johnson, who entered upon his duties October 24, 
1872. Alvin Hall has been ticket agent since 1868. On this 
branch of the road Casey Eldred has been engineer since 1857 
and Christy DeLaney since 1868. Thomas Cooper has been con- 
ductor for fourteen years ; and the three last named men have 
been connected with the road in some capacity, from the begin- 
m'ng of it. Jolm IVlcCauley is also conductor, which position he 
has held six or eight years. The passenger trains the present 
summer season (1876) leave Cape Vincent depot at 9:50 a. m., 
4:00 and 5:45 p. m., and arrive at 0:23 a. m., 3:00, 5:00 and 9:15 r. m. 
A palace car runs through to Niagara Falls without change. 

TnE Custom House was established in 1818, and the collectors 
have been: John B. Esselstyn 1818-29 ; Jere Carrier 1829-41 ; 
Judah T. Ainsworth 1841-43 ; Peleg Burchard 1843-49 ; G. S. 
Sackett 1849-53; Alfred Fox 1853-57; Theophilus Peugnet 
1857-61; John AV. Ingalls 1801-65 ; AVilliam Huntington act- 
ing collector for a few months; John B. Carpen.ter 1866-67; 
David Owen 1867-71. The present officers are Sidney Cooper, 
collector, 1871; Charles Gardner, special collector; Charles 
33urnham, deputy ; David Forton, C. R. Cooper and AVilliam 



4:5 

Grant, inspectors. James L. Cline is iiisjjeetor at ]\rillen's Ijay. 

Pastoks of tiik Pkesbvtkkiax Ciiukcii. — Jedediali Biicliad 
was the pastor 1824-25. Services for several years alter de- 
pended upon uncertain linances. David Smith and Lucins Foote 
were here before 1830. Kevs. Chittenden, llobins, and Leonard 
preached before 1839. T. C. Hill 1840; 11. II. Morgan 1842; 
IJugii Carhle 1845 ; F. J. Jackson 1849 ; A. Crocker, Jr. 1854; 
George Richie 185G; Samuel L. Merrell 1857; II. II. IIilllS63 ; 
J. Ij. Preston 1805. The present Pastor, F. II. Pratt, came in 
January, 1871. The present elders are Eoswell T. Lee, Austin 
Ilogers, and James Howard. The lirst two are also deacons. 
The trustees are AVillard x\ins\vortli, W. O. llorton, William 
Grant, James Howard, and Edgar Vincent. 

Clergymkx of St. John's Ciiukch luive been K. AVatkins 
1841 ; Samuel II. ^Norton 1846 ; Richard S. Adams 1580; John 
Abercrombie 1852; Edward JVIoyses 1855; Edward Kennedy 1857; 

A. M. Lewis 18G0 ; ^V. II. Lord 1864; JST. F. Whiting D. D. f865 ; 
J. 13. Linn 1869. The present rector is Rev. G. G. Perrine; 
AV. M. Johnson and E. C. Kelsey, wardens; Judah T. Ains- 
worth, E. K. Bnrnham, C. C. Brown, G. A. Ainsvvorth, L. O. 
AVoodruft", John Armstrong, J. A. Scobell, and G. R. Starkey, 
vestrymen. 

List of the Methodist Preacheks. — Revs. Sodon, Ercanbask, 
Goodrich, AVhite, Dyton, and AV^illiams were here Jjefore 1827 as 
occasional supplies. Seth Young 1827; Elisha Dewey 1828; 
11. Shepherd and F. II. Stanton 1830; R. Everdale 1833 ; F. H. 
Stanton 1834; II. Shepherd and J, Irvine 1835; Enoch Bn.rnes 
and A. E. Munsoai 1836; Orra Squires 1837-8; AVilliani Tripp 
1839-40; Benjamin Phillips 1841-2; S. Slater 1843 ; L. Dikins 
and G. W. Plank 1845 ; J. R. Lewis and T\ B. Brown 1846 ; T. 

B. Brown 1849 ; AVilliam Jones 1851 ; J. B. A^an Petten 1853; 
A. J. Church 1854; O. Holmes 1855 ; G. M. Pierce 1856 ; J. F-. 
Dayan 185S— church dedicated 1859 ; A. T. Copeland 1860; E. 
E. Kellogg 1861; A. N. Damon 1863 ; J. B. McCullough 1866; 
G. P. Kenuy 1868; C. E. Dorr 1870 ; A. M. Fradenburgh 1871. 
The present pastor is O. P. Pitcher ; class leader, AVilliam Essel- 
styn ; trustees, W. AV". Shelley, Norman Ross, J. B. Esselstyn, E. 



u 

D. Hilts, riiilip Marks, Win. Lanfenr and William Wheelocfe, 
At St. Lawkence : D. W. Ajlesworth 1868-70 ; C. Manson 
1871; S. F. Kenyon 1872; William Merrifield 1873-74. The 
present pastor is W. P. llali, wjio bc<^an his labors in 1875. 

. List of Membeks of the First Misjiionaky Society of Cait, 
Vincent. — Charity E'^selstyn, Claiissa Forsyth, Hannah Ains- 
worth, Sally T. Rogers, Delia Esselstyn, Cynthia Rogers, Clarissa 
Esselstyn, Lydia W. Brewster, Ilatmah P. Esselstyn, Mis. Corch- 
ran," liebecca Johnson, Abigail Smith, Lucy Kelsey, Tryphen:i 
Buckley, Sally Fuller, Jemima Mei'ieitt, Lydia Lake, Lueincia 
Chapman, Jane Pator, Lois Hubbard, Mary Unbhard, Laura C, 
Kelsey, Sarah S. Kelsey, Emily llibbard, Phebe Green. This- 
Female Missionary Society was organized not far from the year 
1820. 

Besides those persons already mentioned who are now engaged 
in business at Cape Vincent are the f'ollowing : 

Express Ageiit and agent of IST. T. Co.=— W. Buckley. Drugs and Gro- 
ceries — L. O. Woodruff, Bushnell & Kelsey. Groceries — Wm. L. Hunting- 
ton, J. B. Grapottc, William Anthony. Ih-y Goods and Groceries — Branche 
& Mosthiser (Rosiere), S. Block, G. A. Ainsworth, Levi Anthony, Parker 
Brothers, F. A. Cross. Wholesale Fish Dealers — Horton Bros. & Ainsworth, 
McPherson Bros. & Van Doren, Henry Peo, J. II. Trumpour & Co. Ho- 
tels— xht. Lawrence, Eathbun, H. L. Fox ; Jerome Hotel, C. A. Jerome ; 
Railroad House, G. P. Ferren ; Union House, A. Isleu ; Riverside Hotel, F, 
H. Dodge; Ontario House, George Stumpi; Broadway House, John B. 
Rousso. PAT/sTcmns— Thomas Masson, Martin Braun, A. S. Smith, H. N. 
Bushnell, Dr. Loucks, Philip Cole. Lawyers — Ezra D. Hilts, M. E. Lee. 
Jeweller— Jacob Beringer. Millinery — Mrs. James E, How^ard. iMiss Carrie 
Milieu, Mrs. Whittier. Boots and ISlioeg- -Peter Garlach, Charles Towusend, 
Peter Pry. Painters — Willam Ebbs, R. A. Davis. Butchers — Henry Earl,. 
Charles Morrison. Shingle Manufactory — John Buckley, Alfred Burnham. 
Blaclcsmiths — John Forsyth, George Kelley, George Allen, Bakery — John 
McHenry. Boat Livery — Austin Horr. Lumber — Philip Marks, Buslinell 
& Kel ley, Easton Brothers. Malsters rt??v:7 i?r<? vrs— Scobell & Kinghorii. 
■Barber — J. A. Theobald. Dressm-aling — ^frs. R. Briggs, Misses Dunning, 
Mrs. Samuel Borland. Lnsiirance Agencies — C. I. Gardner, C. C. Brown,. 
Carlos Kelsey. Cabinet and "Wagon Mal'ing — William Barbour. Tailors — 
P. Walsh, J. Rouillon. Stoves and Timcare — John G. Rosebnom. liar- 
n-'is Mnl'i ng —ChnT]es Wright, Ab-ncr ?Iillen. Sash and Blinds — Eugene B. 
Howard, James Arnold. Coal — Philip Marks, A. G. Burnhatn. Coopers — 
John Lince, Jacob Lincev Glrvist and Flmiring Mills—Alfred Burnham, R. 



45 

l^ezongremel. Wagon Maker — Alfred Rogers. Produce Dealers — Albert 
Scobell, W. E. Ingalls. 

The followino; parties are now engaged in business at St. Law- 
rence : 

Dry Goods and Groceries — H. "W. Reed, A. P. Ladd & Jno. Thompson. 
Hotel — H. E. Wallace. Physicians — D. E. Pierce, M. B. Ladd. Blaclcsmith — 
John C. Bowles. Carriage Maimer — Xatlianiel Coffee. Cooper — Thomas 
Kyes. Boots and iS'/ioes— Benjamin Vincent. M^sori— Samuel Dillin. Paint- 
er — Harvey Ingerson. At Warren Settlement: Steam Mill — Thomas E. 
Riley. Wagon Mttker and Bladcsnuih — Heniy Chavoustie. 



PKOCEEDINGS OF THE DAY. 



At Cape Vincent July 4th, 1876, the Centennial Anniversary 
of American Independence was celebrated with appropriate 
ceremonies, in a manner and to an extent befitting the occasion. 
Promptly at twelve o'clock midnight of the 3d, the Village was 
alive with wide-awake citizens, young and old, who, from that 
time until broad dayliglit, kept up an incessant noise. Steam 
whistles shrieked, all kinds of horns blew, church bells, dinner 
bells, tea bells, and sleigh bells chimed in their mixed melodies. 
Tin pans and tin pails, brass kettles and brats gongs assisted in 
the music of their appropriate parts. Altogether it was such an 
nsheringin of the "Glorious Fourih' as the Revolutionary Adams 
wrote to his wife, immediately after the signing of the Declara- 
tion, would be apprcpriate. At sunrise, the big brass gun trans- 
ported from the l)arracks at Sacket's Harbor especially for the 
occasion, belclied forth her thirteen notes — a salute in honor of 
the original Thirteen States. Early in the day, upon all kinds of 
land and water conveyances, and on foot from the immediate 
country, came flocking in, men and women, boys and girls, the 
oldest and the youngest alike full of enthusiasm to "celebrate" the 
first, and in all luunan probabilities, to them the last Centennial. 
Long before 10 o'clock, a. m., the hour advertised for starting the 
procefesion, the trains and steamboats having arrived and poured 
out their crowded loads to swell the already gathered multitudes, 



46 

the sti'cets and public places of Cape Yinceut wei-e literally 
tliroiii^ed. At 10 o'clock, as advertised, and in the order named 
in the bills, the procession formed, by the direction of G. AV. 
Warren, Marshal of the Day, and under his lead aided by as- 
sistants Davis, DeSalia, and Bishop, pi'oceeded to the rail- 
road depot; the main portion mai'chini^ down and lillin<^ the trav- 
eled thoroughfare of Broadway ; the two other portions each 
accompanying, marching down and tilling the broad pavement on 
the sides of the street. Th.e depot, with capacity to seat three 
thousand people, was tilled to overflowing loJig before the proces- 
sion could get in. The exercises at the deppt were opened by a 
few very appropriate and well timed introductory remarks made 
by the President of the Day, Brev't. Major-General D. B. Sack- 
et. The Rev. G. G. Perrine, pastor of the Episcopal church at 
Cape Yincent, then led in prayer. The prayer concluded, the 
Centennial choir under the leadership of Charles I. Gardner, as- 
sisted by F. C. l>raun at the organ, and the voices of Mrs. Gard- 
ner, Perrine, Eichleberghei-, the Misses Buckley, Howard, Moore 
and Hinckley, Messrs. Howard, YanSchaick, Carey, and Ililts, 
favored the vast audience with a distinct and ijitelligent sensible 
I'eudering of the National song. 

The Declaration of Inde]:)eiideiice was then read by E.. AV. 
Iliggins, Esq., of Chaumont in a very able and eloquent manner, 
and to the entire satisfaction of the most critical listener in that 
large audience of deeply interested hearers. At the close the 
Header was warmly applauded. This was followed b}' the Capo 
Yincent Brass Band's playing the National airs. 

The Oration was then delivered by M. E. Lee, Esq., of Capo 
Yiiu'cnt. The expression of thought in it was suited to the Cen- 
tennial Celebration, and the oratt>r dwe-lt largely upon the achieve- 
ments of our Forefathers in the great work of the Revolution, and 
during the formative period of the American Rejiublic, giving 
them also full oedit for the results as enjoyed by us at the end 
of the Century. They had planted the seed, nourished and fer- 
tilized it in its incipient growth; their deseendents had culti- 
vated the crop, and were enjoying the rich products of their sow- 
ing and early husbandry. The innnensity of the yield after oidy 
f[ century of advancement was pointed out by the orator. The 



hriglit prospects of the golden liarvcst before iis if we contimio 
wise liusl)aiKlineii, was briefly adveited to. Tlie orator closed by 
saying : ''While we have all this glory yet to ivin, we will never 
forget, fellow-citizens, that our forefathers have left us s.o much 
to hoW 

At the close of the Oration the Centennial choir sang the na- 
tional anthem "America," At the request of the President of 
the Day and in accordance with the programme, all the assem- 
blage that could sing joined with the choir. Immediately upon 
:^\ie close of the singing, the foregoing Centennial History of the 
Town was read by the Ilistoi-ian appointed for the occasion, Ilev. 
E. II. Pratt, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Cape 
Vincent. Though the exercises up to this point of time had been 
lengthy, and somewhat wearisome as evidenced by the tendency to 
uneasiness on the part of some in the crowd, the related incidents 
of the History so deeply interesting to a large part of the audi- 
ence, soon put the assemblage at ease and in good humor, eager 
to listen to the " well told tales" which the historian had so apt- 
ly compiled into a Centennial histery of their own Town. The 
memories of the aged were quickened to " ye olden times," and 
the ears of the 3'ounger were anxiously opened to hear of what 
the fathers had done. From the "symptotns" when the historian 
concluded to stop in his delivery it was apparent the audience 
would have gladly heard the whole. 

After the History, music ; a generous vote of thanks to the Read- 
er, Orator and Historian ; and then to close, benediction by Rev. 
O. P. Pitcher, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Cape 
Yincent. The bii? ";un boomed out Federal and National salutes. 
The procession reformed and marched to public square for din- 
ner. 

The afternoon was spent in a yacht regatta and athletic sports, 
with yachts from the Dominion as well as northern New York. 
At sun down was flred from the big gun a National Salute. 

The day of celebrating the Centennial Anniversary of Ameri- 
can Independence was closed iit a late hour in the ni<jht by the 
finale of a grand display of fire-works. 

This celebration was arranged and carried out by the following 
committees : 



48 

Committee of Akrangemknts. — John B. Grapotte, L. O, 
Woodruff, W. M. Johnson, Joliii F. Brnnot, Henry Canfieid, 
PJiih'p Marks, II. N. Bnshnell, S. K. B.ishop, R. S. Scobell, L. 
Dezongremel, John Buckley, George B. Ferren, James Bates, 
Walter Gra}-, Englebert Solar. 

Committee on Boats. — T. M. Brewster, Coleman Hinckley, 
D. F. Harris, Austin Ilorr, Henry Peo, Linus Collins, A. Mc- 
Pherson, William H. ]\Iain, Oliver Hewitt, George Offord, James 
Wilson, Robert Ma kins. 

Rifle Shoot Committee.— Gideon Kelsey, Angustus Hinckley, 
D. F. Harris, S. K. Bithup. 

Committee ON Sports — diaries P. Morrisson, Walter GrayjL. 
G Kelsey, Charles Dezongremel, James Bates. 

Officers of the Day. — President — Gen. D. B. Sacket ; Vice- 
Presidents — S. Cooper, W. M. Johnson, John B. Grapotte, E. K. 
Burnham, Jacob Putnam, A. J. Dewey, Welcome Wilcox, D. E. 
Pierce ; Marshal— George W. Warren ; Assistant Marshala — 
Charles Smith, Carlos Kelsey, Isaac T. Cross, S. K. Bishop, K. 
D. Fox. R. A. Davie, 



^ 



ft 



A HISTORICAL SKETCH 











HA 

H 

h 



%%m\\ of flfHiu 1[) in cent 






(1. 






• <^ead at the Centennial Celebration of the Tozvnship, g. 

July 4, 1876, 



exjIzxji^ h- fi^-a.tt, -A-. n^- 



# 

M: 



m 



"H 



2) To VVnicn Is Appended a Brief Account op the General Proceed- 



i^y 






INGS OF THE DaY. 






CAPE VINCENT, N. Y. 

Warren W. Ames, Printer. 

1876. 



.a 

(3 



H? 






1. 



ill 






FIRE 

«^^^. 

Insures Kesideiice Property Only 

COVEliS AGAINST FIRE AND LIGHTNING / 

No Safer Company in Existence. 

Sarijlus, - - oOO.OOO.UO 

Cash Assets July 1, '70, - $7(^0,(JO().()(J 

Hon. WILLAKD IVES, Pies. J. 31. ADAMS, Sec. 



AND RATHBUN HOTELS, 

Cape Vincent, Jeff. Co., N. Y. 

o 

The Hotels so long and favorably known to the tourists among tiie cele- 
brated Thousand Islands, liaA'e been consolidate-'i under one manageniert, 
and having undergone extensive improvements, now combine all tlie requi- 
sites of lirst-class liouses. 

The bass and muscalouge fishing at this point is unrivaled. To tboso 
who desire a cool and delightful climate during the summer season, this 
place will be found the best of any along the frontier on account of it#^30- 
sition at the foot of Lake Ontario, where a frcsli and invigorating air is al- 
ways to be obtained. The Mineral Spkings are but a short distance away. 
Beautiful and picturesque drives, croquet grounds, summer luniJ^es, lawns 
and swing.H for chiidren, bathing houses on tlie shore of the river, (fcc., &c., 
togetlier with the moderate charges, make tliis one t)f the pleasantest of 
summer resorts. No effort will be spared toward rendering the stay of 
guests pleasant, home-like and attractive. 

H. L. FOX. Proprietor. 

Agricultural Insurance , C ompany, 

AVATERTOWN, ^^ Y. 
CA_PITAL, - ^200,000. 

TOTAL ASSE'iS, $l,Or>8,040.00. 

^^=^1118 INSTITUTION is one of tlie old landmarks of .leffersnn Ccun- 
• l v- i ty, having been organized aljout a quarter ot a Century ago. Com- 
menced business vvitli a Nominal Capital of $100,C00 and now has Cash As- 
sets safely invested of over $1,000,000; and as it insures nothing but Farm 
Property and Private Residences, is undoubtedly one of the safest iasurance 
companies doing business in this country. 
ISAAC MUNSON, Sec. JOHN C. COOPER, Pres. 



